U.K. stocks turned slightly lower on Wednesday, as investors are waiting for highly anticipated tomorrow's European Central Bank meeting, to discuss, among other things, the potential to resume the bond-buying program.
U.S. non-farm productivity rose more than expected in the second quarter, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Nation's non-farm business sector labour productivity rose by a seasonally adjusted 2.2%, up from a preliminary estimate of a 1.6% increase.
Eurozone's retail sales dropped in July, as consumer demand was hit by deepening economic crisis across the region. Retail sales fell by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% from June, when they rose 0.1%, official data showed on Wednesday.
Japan's average cash earnings fell more-than-expected in July, data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare released on Tuesday showed. The total average monthly cash earnings per employee in Japan posted the third straight monthly fall in July, down 1.2% , after -0.4% in the preceding month.
The Swiss economy surprisingly contracted in the second quarter, official data showed on Tuesday. Nation's GDP fell to a seasonally adjusted -0.1%, down from 0.5% in the first quarter, posting first drop since the third quarter of 2011.
U.K. construction activity unexpectedly fell in August, as new orders slumped at the fastest pace since April 2009, Markit Economics said. The construction PMI fell to 49.0, down from 50.9 in July. A reading below 50 indicates contraction.
Activity in the U.S. manufacturing sector rose less than predicted in August, as exports declined for a third consecutive month and firms were slow to hire new employees. Nation's purchasing manufacturing index fell by 0.2 points to 49.6 in August from a reading of 49.8 in the preceding month.
Moody's has lowered the European Union's long-term issuer rating outlook from stable to negative, warning it might downgrade credit rating again if the EU decides to cut the ratings on its four biggest budget backers: Germany, France, the UK and the Netherlands.
Capital spending by Japanese companies rose less than expected in the second quarter, Ministry of Finance said on Monday. Japanese capital spending jumped to an annual rate of 7.70%, from 3.30% in the previous quarter. Experts had predicted Japanese capital spending to rise to 8.90% in the last quarter.
Retail sales in Switzerland rose less-than-expected in July, as the downside pressure from the spreading economic problems had negative effect on spending. Nation's retail sales rose at annualized rate of 3.2% in July, below expectations for a 4.3% gain, official data showed on Monday.
U.K. manufacturing sector contracted further in August, a survey showed on Monday. The Purchasing Manager's Index rose to 49.5, up from 45.2 in July, said the Markit research company. U.K.'s PMI remains in the negative territory for a fourth straight month.
Banks in America were closed on Monday in observance of Labor Day.
Activity in the Eurozone's manufacturing sector shrank more than expected in August. The final PMI came in at 45.1, up from 44.0 in the preceding month. Any reading below 50 signals a contraction in manufacturing activity.
Japan's core inflation fell 0.3 per cent in July from a year before, as nation's economy struggles to escape deflation and reach the central bank's 1 per cent inflation target.
Swiss stocks rose on Friday, August 31, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed could purchase more bonds in order to bolster the economy.
The average price of a home rose by 1.3 per cent from July, the biggest monthly increase since January 2010, the Nationwide building society said on Friday.
The Fed may announce another round of quantitative easing and resume its bond-buying program to boost the U.S. economy, said Fed's chairman Ben Bernanke on Friday.
The unemployment rate in the Eurozone remained at a record high of 11.3 per cent in July, Eurostat's data showed on Friday, August 31. Despite the fact overall jobless rate remained unchanged, 88,000 more people were without a job in July, bringing the total to 18 million.
Japan's industrial production unexpectedly tumbled in July, said the Trade Ministry on Friday. Production retreated 1.2 per cent from June, when it rose 0.4 per cent.
Swiss stocks fell on Thursday ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speech at Jackson Hole Symposium.
The number of approved mortgages rose to 47,312 in July from a 18-month low of 44,124 in June, Bank of England data showed on Thursday. Analysts expected approvals to climb to 47,000.
Italy placed 6.5 billion euros of 10-year and 5-year debt in an auction on Thursday. Yields on the 10-year bond declined to 5.82 per cent from 5.96 per cent at a previous auction. Yields on the 5-year bond fell to 4.73 per cent from 5.29 per cent.
The number of Americans claiming for unemployment benefits was unchanged at 374,000 in the week ended August 25 from the week before, said the Department of Labor on Thursday.
Retail sales in Japan fell more than economists forecast in July. Sales declined 0.8 per cent, for the first time in eight months, said the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.