Swiss unemployment remained unchanged in January, said the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs on Wednesday. Jobless rate was at 3.1 per cent, the same as in December.
U.K. shop price inflation fell to 1.4% in January from 1.7% in December, the British Retail Consortium announced on Wednesday. Food inflation declined to 3.7 per cent from 4.2 per cent in December. Non-flood inflation eased to zero from 0.3 per cent in the last month of 2011.
U.S. stocks closed positive on Wednesday while investors awaited the outcome of negotiations between Greece and the troika.
Greece leaders gathered on Wednesday to agree on a reform deal in return for a 130 billion euro bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
Japanese stock indexes ended mixed on Tuesday after Japan Tobacco Inc. raised its earnings forecast and Greece struggled to secure a €130 billion international bailout.
Swiss stocks rose modestly on Tuesday. The Swiss blue-chip index SMI, a measure of the largest and most actively traded companies, advanced 0.17%, or 10.56 points, to 6,157.59. The broader Swiss Performance Index added 0.17%, or 9.47 points, to 5,585.07.
U.K. retail sector contracted in January as shoppers limited their spending ahead of a difficult year. Retails sales dropped 0.3 per cent in January from the same period last year when they rose 2.2 per cent, the British Retail Consortium announced on Tuesday.
U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday as investors awaited the outcome of discussion on a financial aid package for Greece.
Greece's government is preparing a final version of an agreement on budget and structural measures required for a 130 billion euro bailout, said a Greek government official.
Japanese stocks rose on Monday after U.S. companies created more jobs than expected in January and Nikon Corp. together with Oki Electric Industry Co. raised profit forecasts.
Swiss stocks dropped on Monday. The Swiss blue-chip index SMI, a measure of the largest and most actively traded companies, declined 0.10%, or 6.28 points, to 6,147.03. The broader Swiss Performance Index shed 0.08%, or 4.31 points, to 5,575.60.
U.K. house prices rose 0.6% to £160,907 in January, for the first time in three months, said the Halifax, the mortgage unit of Lloyds Banking Group Plc on Monday.
U.S. stocks declined on Monday, snapping a three-day winning streak, after the meeting of euro zone ministers was postponed because of Greek reluctance to commit to reforms.
German factory orders increased more than expected in December as demand from overseas helped the euro zone's largest economy to weather the debt crisis. Orders rose 1.7 per cent, after declining 4.9 per cent in November, said the Economy Ministry on Monday.
The number of Americans, who have found a job in January rose to nine-month high of 243,000, said the Labor Department on Friday, pushing unemployment rate lower to 8.3 per cent, the lowest in three years.
Euro zone retail sales declined unexpectedly in December, said the European Union's statistics office Eurostat on Friday. Retail sales fell 0.4 per cent from November after declining by the same amount in October.
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.