Swiss stocks rose, after news that Spain is about to ask for international financial aid pushed market sentiment higher.
The U.K. public sector borrowed 14.4 billion pounds in August, posting record deficit since the records begun, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.
U.S. stocks closed mixed on Friday after a late-afternoon selloff.
Spanish government is in talks with European Commission about the details of a new rescue plan. Up to 60 billion euros will be needed to bail out Spanish banks, the country's second biggest lender, BBVA, said on Friday.
Japan's exports fell for a third straight month in August, as global demand slows. Nation's exports fell 5.8% from a year earlier, while analysts predicted Japan's exports to decline 7.3% last month. The trade deficit widened to 754.1 billion yen ($9.63 billion) in August, against an expected fall of 809.0 billion yen.
Swiss Trade surplus narrowed to CHF1.733M in August, down from CHF 2.875B in the previous month, Swiss Statistics reported on Thursday. Analysts had predicted Swiss Trade Balance to rise 0.423B last month. Exports from Switzerland rose by 4.4% to 15.54 billion Swiss francs in August on a yearly basis, while imports decreased to CHF 13.806B from CHF 14.570B.
Retail sales in the U.K. fell less than previously estimated in August, as shoppers were distracted by the Olympics, U.K. Office for National Statistics showed on Thursday. Retail sales fell to -0.2% last month, down from 0.3% in the preceding month, while rose 0.6% in the third quarter of 2012. Food sales jumped 0.2%, while sales of clothing, textile and
The number of Americans who filed jobless benefit claims fell less than expected in the week ending September 15, the U.S. Department of Labor reported. Initial jobless claims dropped by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000, compared to expectations for a fall of 10,000 to 375,000, while down from 385,000 in the previous week. The four-week moving average rose by
Spain raised 4.81 billion euros of debt in an auction on Thursday, with nation's borrowing rates dropping sharply from the previous auction. The average yields on Spanish government securities, due to mature in 2022, dipped to 5.66% to 6.65%. Demand strengthened slightly, with bids exceeding supply 1.6 times.
The Bank of Japan increased the size of its asset-purchase program by JPY10 trillion ($127 billion) to a total of JPY80 trillion, in order to boost slowing economic activity. The increase in nation's asset-purchase program will be split equally for additional purchases of treasury discount bills and government's bonds. The BoJ also kept benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.10%.
Economic expectations in Switzerland deteriorated in September, a survey by the European Economic Research (ZEW) and Credit Suisse showed Wednesday. The ZEW index that measures expectations of futures economic performance fell by 1.6 points to -34.9, down from -33.3 in the prior month. A reading above 0.0 indicates optimism, while a reading below indicates pessimism.
Hopes the Bank of England will announce new economic stimulus plan above the existing program with a total value of 375 billion pounds ($610 billion) have been raised after minutes of the monetary policy committee's meeting on Wednesday. The BoE also expects the inflation rate to decelerate less rapidly, as oil and food prices rose.
U.S. housing starts rose less than expected in August, while applications for home mortgages declined, adding to concerns over the U.S. property market, the U.S. Census Bureau said on Wednesday. Construction of new U.S. homes rose 2.3% to 750,000, up from 733,000 in the prior month, below expectations for a 2.85% increase to 765,000. Building permits issued in July declined
European stocks advanced on Wednesday, as the Bank of Japan followed the Fed and announced fresh easing measures. The BoJ said on Wednesday that it is increasing the size of its asset-purchase program by JPY10 trillion, in an effort to boost economic activity in the country and to counter the strengthening yen.
Japanese stocks were mixed on Tuesday, as tensions between Japan and China increased, and utilities gained on speculation that Japan will not halt construction of nuclear reactors.
The Swiss government has downgraded its economic outlook for 2012 and 2013, as worldwide economic slowdown had intensified. Government's experts cut their growth forecast to 1% for 2012, down from their previous 1.4% estimate, while a slight pickup to 1.4% is expected in 2013.
U.K. inflation rate slowed in August compared with the previous month due to smaller rises in furniture and gas prices. Consumer prices grew by 2.5 per cent last month, meeting analysts' expectation, down from 2.6 per cent in July, according to the Office for National Statistics figures.
The U.S. current account deficit narrowed to $117.4 billion in the second quarter of 2012, down from $133.6 billion in the first quarter, the Commerce Department reported on Tuesday. Analysts had predicted U.S. current account balance to fall to -125.5B last month. The decline may be, mostly, explained by a fall in oil prices and a larger surplus in income
German investor confidence grew more than expected in September, as the ECB released a plan to buy government bonds to curb Eurozone's debt crisis. German ZEW economic sentiment index rose to -18.2, from -25.5 in the preceding month, the ZEW Centre for Economic Research said on Tuesday. Any reading above zero indicates optimism, while a reading below indicates pessimism.
Banks in Japan were closed on Monday in observance of Respect for the Aged Day.
UBS expects Swiss banks to see European clients withdraw up to 200 billion francs by 2016 of the 789 billion as a result of measures to stop foreigners using secret accounts to evade taxes. Switzerland is to impose taxes on German, British and Austrian citizens' accounts.
Home sellers in the U.K. cut asking prices for a third consecutive month in September, as prices in eight regions out of the 10 reported a decline in prices. Average asking prices in England and Wales fell 0.6% to £234,858, after erasing 2.4% in the prior month. Despite an overall fall in prices, house prices in London grew 0.3% in
Manufacturing activity in the State of New York fell more than expected in September, Federal Reserve Bank of New York announced on Monday. Region's general economic index fell to a seasonally adjusted -10.4, down from -5.8 in August. Analysts had predicted Empire State manufacturing activity to drop 2.0 points last month.
Eurozone's current account surplus narrowed more than expected in July, as exports from the 17-nation region erased 2% from June, and imports lost 1.2%, the ECB said on Monday. Current account shrank to 9.7 billion euros last month, from 14.3 billion euros in the previous month.