Like a bolt from the blue, the Swiss National Bank decided to discontinue keeping its three-year-old cap of 1.20 franc per Euro and slashed its deposit interest rate to –0.75%.
House prices in the UK increased at the slowest annual rate since May 2013 at the end of 2014, as buyer demand was subdued by stricter lending rules as well as a looming national election due on May 7.
US unemployment claims unexpectedly surged to the highest level in four months last week a slight setback for the labour market that has marked 2014 as the best year of job gains in more than a decade.
The Euro zone' trade surplus widened in November, as exports rose, while imports dropped, amid a weaker Euro and falling oil prices that are softening the impact of a precipitous decline in sales to Russia.
Japan's core machinery orders increased less than expected in November amid falling orders in the manufacturing sector, as companies remain cautious about capital expenditure due to concerns over domestic demand as well as renewed worries about global growth.
The number of UK mortgage approvals dropped 12% to 55,600 in November from the preceding month, while the volume of loans dropped 13% to 9.2 billion pounds, as demand for mortgages cooled at the end of 2014.
US retail sales unexpectedly fell in the busiest month of the year, as consumers pulled back on spending at retailers in December.
The European Court of Justice gave a non-biding opinion that the ECB's OMT programme is legal and compatible with the European law, despite the fact that the scheme's legitimacy was questioned by German economists and politicians.
Although Japan's current account surplus shrank in November, but it remained close to the highest level in three months reached in October.
China's trade surplus narrowed in December for the first time in three months, but came in better than economists' expectations on the back of stronger exports.
Consumer inflation in the UK fell more than expected in December, forcing the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney to write an official letter to the Chancellor George Osborne, explaining why consumer prices have been rising to slow recently.
The number of job vacancies in the US soared to the highest level in almost 14 years in November, a sign that rapid hiring that made 2014 the best year of job gains in 15 years is showing no signs of slowing down.
Greece's snap general elections on January 25 will not affect the ECB's monetary policy decisions, as the central bank considers whether to deploy QE programme at a meeting on January 22, ECB Executive Board member Benoit Coeure said.
The Japanese government plans a record budget for the next fiscal year to prop up the world's third biggest economy, which slid into recession after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the sales tax in April 2014.
Australia's home loans unexpectedly declined in November, pointing to weakening in the residential sector even as interest rates remain at all-time low.
The US, the world's biggest economy is seen growing 3.2% or even more in 2015, the best performance since 2005, as a strengthening job market underpin consumer spending.
It is widely expected that the European Central Bank will announce a launch of quantitative easing as early as 21 January, as consumer prices in the currency bloc fell into deflationary territory, preliminary data showed.
China's consumer and producer price pressures remained relatively subdued in December due to slump in global oil prices.
Australia's retail sector faced another weak month in November, adding to further signs that the Reserve Bank of Australia needs to deploy fresh stimulus measures to stimulate the nation's economy.
Britain's manufacturing production increased the most in seven months in November, rising 0.7% from October and exceeding a 0.3% forecast of economists.
Unemployment in the world number one economy ticked lower in December, opening the door wider to an interest rate hike from the Fed this year despite a sluggish global economic growth.
Industrial output in Germany unexpectedly fell in November, adding to signs that the recovery in the Euro zone's powerhouse remains fragile.
The Euro zone slipped into deflation, as consumer prices fell more than expected due to plummeting oil prices, according to the flash estimate by Eurostat.
Australian residential building approvals unexpectedly recorded their best month on record in November, a trend that promise to boost economic growth in the South Pacific country.