U.S. month on month retail sales grew less than expected in December and jobless claims rose sharply, signalling the economic recovery remains shaky. Total retail sales rose 0.1 per cent after increasing 0.4 per cent in November, said the Census Bureau on Thursday. Economists expected sales to advance 0.3 per cent.
The European Central Bank kept its benchmark rate at record low of 1 per cent on Thursday, a move widely expected by economists, and noted a "significant, if not substantial," decrease in interest rates across markets.
Japanese stocks closed higher for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as strong U.S. employment data boosted the earning outlook for exporters.
Swiss stocks edged lower on Wednesday after Fitch called the European Central Bank to boost its government bond purchases to ease strains in financial markets.
U.K. trade deficit widened more than expected to £8.6 billion in November from £7.9 billion in October, said the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday. Economists had forecast the deficit of no more than £8.3 billion.
The U.S. Federal Reserve should keep interest rates near zero to combat high unemployment and help the economy to recover, said Fed's top official on Wednesday.
The European Central Bank should boost its bond purchasing programme to support the third largest euro zone economy, Italy, and avert a "cataclysmic" collapse of the euro, said David Riley, the head of sovereign ratings at Fitch, on Wednesday.
U.S. month-on-month wholesale inventories barely grew in November, suggesting the economy is recovering at a moderate pace. Inventories rose 0.1 per cent after increasing 1.2 per cent in October, said the Commerce Department on Tuesday.
Japanese stocks closed higher on Tuesday, snapping two days of losses after the U.S. economy added more jobs than it was expected and unemployment fell to 8.5 per cent in December.
Swiss stocks closed higher for the first time in four days as a meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel with International Monetary Fund Chief Christine Lagarde boosted optimism that law makers are searching for new solutions to solve the sovereign debt crisis.
U.K. retail sector expanded in December 2011, compared to the same period last year as retailers offered generous discounts to lure shoppers. Retails sales rose 2.2 per cent, after declining 1.6 per cent the previous year, said the British Retail Consortium on Tuesday.
Fitch Ratings does not plan to downgrade France's top notch AAA credit rating in 2012, while ratings of Spain and Italy as well as other countries under review could be cut by one or two notches this year, said Ed Parker, head of EMEA sovereign ratings at Fitch on Tuesday.
Japanese stocks dropped on Friday as pessimism over Europe's economic prospects outweighed strong data from U.S. The Nikkei 225 lost 1.16%, or 98.36 points, to 8,390.35, while the broader Topix shed 0.91%, or 6.68, to 729.60.
Swiss stocks dropped for a third consecutive day on Monday as the Swiss National Bank President Philipp Hildebrand resigned after a scandal involving a controversial currency trade made by his wife.
U.K. luxury-home prices rose 0.8 per cent for a 14th consecutive month in December, said the Knight Frank LLP, as overseas buyers turned to safe haven assets and competed for a smaller number of properties for sale.
U.S. corporations, such as Cisco Systems Inc., ended 2011 with the slowest profit growth in two years amid global economic slowdown, estimated Bloomberg analysts.
German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Nicolas Sarkozy met on Monday to discuss how to promote Europe's economic growth and to finalize a deal on deeper fiscal union.
Japanese stocks dropped on Friday as pessimism over Europe's economic prospects outweighed strong data from U.S. The Nikkei 225 lost 1.16%, or 98.36 points, to 8,390.35, while the broader Topix shed 0.91%, or 6.68, to 729.60.
Swiss stocks declined for a second consecutive day on Friday on concern euro-area leaders have no additional measures to combat the debt crisis.
U.K. month-on-month house prices edged lower 0.9 per cent to 160,063 pounds in December, the lowest level in more than two years, said the Halifax Bank of Scotland on Thursday. Halifax Bank is the unit of London-based Lloyds Banking Group Plc, Britain's No.1 mortgage provider.
U.S. unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 8.5 per cent in December from 8.7 per cent in November as employment growth accelerated, offering the evidence the U.S. economy is gaining momentum. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 200,000 last month, the U.S. Labor Department said on Friday.
German factory orders tumbled the most since 2009 in November as the euro area economy headed toward a recession and global demand cooled. Orders declined 4.8 percent from October, when they rose 5 percent, said the Economy Ministry on Friday.
Japanese stocks fell on concern the European debt crisis is escalating as Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said Greece is at "risk of a disorderly default". The Nikkei 225 declined 0.83%, or 71.40 points, to 8,488.71, while the broader Topix decreased 0.90%, or 6.71, to 736.28.
Swiss stocks lost ground on Thursday, snapping five-day rally, on concern European banks will have to raise additional capital.