Japanese stocks lost ground on Friday after Nippon Sheet Glass Co. and Oji Paper Co. cut profit expectations amid weak demand from Europe.
Swiss stocks climbed on Fridays after U.S. employers added more than expected jobs and unemployment rate fell to lowest since 2009.
U.K. service sector expanded in January at faster pace, compared to December, raising hopes the country may avoid recession. The Markit/Cips services purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 56 from 54 in October, said the Markit research agency on Monday. Reading above 50.0 indicates industry expansion.
Japanese stocks gained on Thursday after better-than-expected manufacturing data from the U.S. and Europe. The Nikkei 225 climbed 0.76%, or 67.03 points, to 8,876.82, while the broader Topix advanced 0.59%, or 4.49, to 762.45.
Swiss trade balance narrowed more than expected to 2.07 billion francs in December from the revised 2.95 billion francs in November, shows the data published by the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday.
U.K. construction companies remain optimistic about their prospects, shows a survey of the sector. The Markit purchasing managers index for the construction sector declined to 51.4 in January from 53.2 in December. Reading above 50 indicates industry expansion.
The number of Americans claiming for unemployment benefits declined to 367 thousand in the week ended January 28 from 379 thousand the week before, said the Department of Labor on Thursday.
Spanish unemployment claims rose by the most since 2009 in January as the country entered its second recession in three years. The number of people claiming unemployment benefits jumped by 177,470 to 4.6 million, the Labor Ministry said on Thursday.
Japanese stocks edged higher on Wednesday, led by Nippon Airways and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.08%, or 7.28 points, to 8,809.79, while the broader Topix advanced 0.36%, or 2.69, to 757.96.
Swiss stocks jumped on Wednesday after a report showed U.S. manufacturing expanded in January.
U.K. manufacturing sector expanded in January, said Markit on Wednesday. The manufacturing purchasing managers' index rose to 52.1 from 49.7 in December. A reading above 50 signals expansion.
The number of Americans who have found a job in the private sector in January declined to 170 thousand from a revised 292 thousand the prior month, the ADP Employer Services said on Wednesday.
The European Commission has blocked a 9 billion dollar merger between Deutsche Börse and NYSE Euronext stock exchanges, saying that it would have stifled competition and created a monopoly in derivatives trading.
Japan's industrial output soared 4 per cent in December, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reported on Tuesday, a sign the economy is gaining steam after flooding in Thailand and devastating earthquake the last year.
Swiss stocks closed mixed on Tuesday amid scepticism Greece is unable to tackle with spending cuts and labour reform effectively.
U.K. consumer confidence rose to seven-month high in January as consumers became more optimistic on the outlook of the country's economy, estimated GfK NOP Ltd. An index of sentiment rose to -29 from -33 in December.
U.S. consumer confidence declined in January as consumers became less optimistic on the outlook of the country's economy, the Conference Board Inc. said on Tuesday. An index of sentiment decreased to 61.1 from a revised 64.28 reading.
The leaders of 25 European Union member countries Monday signed a German-inspired pact for stricter budget discipline which will impose sanctions on countries that run excessive deficits and rack up unsustainable debts.
Japanese stocks fell on Monday after the U.S. economy expanded less than expected, a worrying sign for Asian exporters. The Nikkei 225 declined 0.54%, or 48.17 points, to 8,793.05, while the broader Topix shed 0.54%, or 4.12, to 757.01.
Swiss stocks lost ground on Monday after Greece and private bondholders failed to finalize a debt swap agreement the previous week.
U.K. month-on-month house prices remained unchanged in January, after falling 0.2 per cent in November and December, estimated the property researcher Hometrack Ltd. Values fell 1.6 per cent from January 2011.
U.S. consumer spending stalled in December said Bureau of Economic Analysis on Monday, a sign consumers attempt to restore depleted savings.
Euro-area economic confidence improved less than expected in January as the region's economy is moving toward a recession despite leaders' efforts to revive growth.
The KOF economic barometer, which indicates the expected performance of the Swiss economy over the following six months, declined to -0.17 January from 0.01 in December, the lowest level since July 2009.