U.K. stocks closed lower on Monday. The benchmark FTSE 100 Index lost 0.68%, or 39.33 points, to 5,737.78. The FTSE All-Share Index declined 0.64%, or 19.30 points, to 2,984.67.
The Swiss blue-chip index SMI, a measure of the largest and most actively traded companies, retreated 0.33%, or 20.02 points, to 6,096.34. The broader Swiss Performance Index fell 0.12%, or 6.79 points, to 5,697.40.
Japanese stocks retreated on Friday. The Nikkei 225 lost 0.43%, or 40.94 points, to 9,520.89. The broader Topix fell 0.72%, or 5.83, to 804.27.
"Investors are worried the BOJ may tighten its monetary policy, not ease it"- Koichi Kurose, chief economist at Resona Bank Ltd.The Nikkei 225 fell 0.43%, or 40.94 points, to 9,520.89. The broader Topix retreated 0.72%, or 5.83, to 804.27."Investors are worried the BOJ may tighten its monetary policy, not ease it," said Koichi Kurose, chief economist at Resona Bank Ltd.
"After the euphoria of the ECB capital injection, we've come back to reality"- Matthieu Giuliani, a fund manager at Banque Palatine SASwiss stocks closed little changed on Friday after the S&P has cut Spain's credit rating and a report showed the U.S. economy expanded less than forecast.The Swiss blue-chip index SMI, a measure of the largest and most actively traded
"It is clear that much like the economy as a whole, consumer confidence is in the doldrums"- Nick Moon, Director of Social Research at GfKU.K. consumer confidence remained in the negative territory in April as consumers were mostly pessimistic on the outlook of the country's economy, showed a survey conducted by pollster GfK NOP. An index of sentiment remained unchanged
"While the economy continued to grow in the first quarter, the expansion remains modest in pace and subpar from a historical perspective"- Jim Baird, chief investment strategist at Plante Moran Financial AdvisorsThe U.S. economy grew at a slower pace than forecast in the first quarter as businesses cut on investment. Gross domestic product increased at a 2.2 per cent annual
"Once we hit the 6.5 per cent mark [in Spanish bond yields], the alarm bells will go off loudly in Brussels and more rhetoric will be coming from the European Central Bank"- Adrian Miller, a global markets strategist at GMPThe rating agency Standard & Poor's has downgraded Spain's credit rating by two notches to BBB-plus with a negative outlook from
Japanese stocks gained on Thursday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke reiterated plans to keep interest rates low at least through late 2014.
Swiss stocks edged lower on Thursday after a report showed economic confidence in the euro zone deteriorated and jobless claims in the U.S. came out worse than economists forecast.
U.K. consumer confidence rose to highest level in nine months in March as consumers became more optimistic on the outlook of the country's economy, said the Nationwide Building Society on Thursday. An index of sentiment rose to 53 from 44 in February.
The number of Americans claiming for unemployment benefits fell to 388,000 in the week ended April 21 from 389,000 the week before, said the Department of Labor on Thursday.
Economic confidence in the euro zone fell by more than expected in April, a sign the economy is far from out of the woods. An index of executive and consumer sentiment declined to 92.8 from a revised 94.5 in March, European Commission data showed on Thursday.
Japanese stocks gained for the first time in five days after U.S. companies posted better than expected quarterly earnings.
Swiss stocks edged higher on Wednesday after European and U.S. companies announced better than expected earnings.
U.K. economy slid back into recession, mounting pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron's government. Britain's gross domestic product fell 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012, after declining 0.3 per cent in the last quarter of 2011, Office for National Statistics' data showed on Wednesday.
U.S. durable goods orders tumbled below forecast in March, a sign the manufacturing sector may be losing momentum. Bookings for long lasting goods dropped 4.2 percent, said the Commerce Department on Wednesday.
Demand for Spanish and Italian debt rose, pushing Spanish and Italian bonds higher, as investors turned to higher-yielding assets after companies from Apple to Swedbank reported better than forecast earnings.
Japanese stocks fell for a fourth consecutive day on Tuesday.
Swiss stocks closed slightly higher on Tuesday after a report showed new home sales in the U.S. were upwardly revised to 353,000 units in February.
British public sector borrowing rose by more than expected in March, said the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday.
U.S. consumer confidence declined in April as consumers became slightly less optimistic on the outlook of the country's economy, the Conference Board Inc. said on Tuesday. An index of sentiment decreased to 69.2 from 70.2 points in March.
Industrial new orders in the euro zone declined by more than forecast in February, Eurostat data showed on Tuesday. Orders decreased by a seasonally adjusted 1.3 per cent, after declining 2.9 per cent in January.
Japanese stocks fell for a third straight day on Monday.