The number of Americans claiming for unemployment benefits rose slightly to 366,000 in the week ended August 11 from an upwardly revised 364,000 the week before, said the Department of Labor on Thursday.
Consumer prices in the Eurozone were unchanged in July, said the European statistics office on Thursday. Year-on-year inflation remained at 2.4 per cent, above the ECB's target of 2 per cent. Month-on-month prices fell 0.5 per cent, after declining 0.1 per cent in June.
Japanese stocks rose after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said there is more room to adjust monetary policy.
Swiss stocks rose on Wednesday after manufacturing in the New York region contracted more than economists forecast.
U.K. unemployment fell to its lowest level in almost a year as the Olympic games created temporary jobs. Unemployment declined by 46,000 in the second quarter to 8 per cent, said the Office for National Statistics.
U.S. factory output rose by more than expected, a sign the economy is expanding. Industrial production increased by 0.6 per cent in July, after adding 0.1 per cent the previous month, said the Federal Reserve on Wednesday.
European stocks closed lower on Wednesday after a report showed manufacturing in New York state contracted more than expected.
Japanese stocks closed lower on Wednesday after the European statistical office said the euro-area economy shrunk in the second quarter.
Swiss stocks rose on Tuesday after a report showed German economy rose 0.3 per cent in the second quarter.
U.K. inflation accelerated in July, official data showed on Tuesday. An index measuring consumer prices rose at an annualized rate of 2.6 per cent, compared with an increase of 2.4 per cent in June, said the Office for National Statistics.
U.S. retail sales rose more than economists forecast in July. Sales at retailers gained 0.8 per cent to a seasonally adjusted $403.9 billion, said the Commerce Department on Tuesday. Compared with July 2011, sales increased by 4.1 per cent.
German investor confidence deteriorated in August, a ZEW university poll showed on Tuesday. An index of sentiment fell to minus 25.5 from minus 19.6 in July, below a median forecast of minus 19.4. Earlier the same day a report showed German economic growth slowed to 0.3 per cent in the second quarter.
Japan tertiary industry activity expanded in June helped by finance, insurance, wholesale and retail industries. An index measuring activity rose 0.1 per cent from the prior month, said the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on Tuesday.
Swiss stocks extended losses on Monday ahead of release of France and German GDP figures on Tuesday.
U.K. house prices fell for a fourth month in June to the lowest level in 12 months, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors data showed on Tuesday. An index measuring prices decreased to minus 24 from minus 22 the prior month.
U.S. retail sales probably increased in July, claim economists before a report today. Retail sales are expected to increase 0.3 per cent from June, when they retreated 0.5 per cent. The Commerce Department will release the figures at 3:30pm CET.
German economy expanded at a faster pace than economists forecast in the second quarter, helped by strong exports and household spending. Gross domestic product increased by 0.3 per cent from the prior quarter, Federal Statistics Office data showed on Tuesday.
Japan's economy expanded by 0.3 per cent from the previous quarter or at annualised rate of 1.4 per cent in the second quarter, said the Japan's Cabinet Office on Monday. Annualised growth fell well short of economists' forecasts of 2.3 per cent growth rate.
Swiss stocks lost ground on Friday after a report showed that China trade surplus narrowed to less than expected $25.1 billion in July, a sign the global economy is slowing.
Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said the sovereign debt crisis in Europe is far from being resolved, few days after the Bank of England cut its growth forecasts and told the national economic outlook is "unusually uncertain."
Import prices in the world's largest economy unexpectedly fell for a fourth straight month in July, pushed down by lower fuel and consumer goods prices. Overall import prices retreated 0.6 per cent, after declining 2.4 per cent in June, said the Labor Department on Friday.
Inflation in Europe's largest economy remained unchanged at 1.7 per cent in July, compared to the prior month, national statistics office Destatis data showed on Friday. The cost of living increased by 0.4 per cent on a monthly basis, pushed by higher holidays and petrol costs.
Japanese stocks lost ground on Friday after company earnings came in worse than expected.
Swiss stocks advanced on Thursday after Nestlé SA, the world largest food company by sales, reported earnings that beat analysts' forecasts.