Japan's machinery orders jumped in November, signalling that companies are ready to invest even as the global economy slows. Bookings rose 14.8 per cent from October, said the Cabinet Office on Monday.
Swiss stocks edged higher on Monday as French borrowing costs dropped at bond auction after Standard & Poor's downgraded the country's triple AAA credit rating one notch to AA+.
U.K. house prices edged lower in January amid record-high unemployment and slowing economic growth. Asking prices dropped 0.8 per cent to 224,060 pounds in January, said the Rightmove, the operator of Britain's largest property website on Monday.
U.S. retail industry expansion will contract to 3.4 per cent in 2012 from 4.7 per cent in 2011, hampered by difficult situation on the housing market, said the Washington-based National Retail Federation.
Standard & Poor's is incorrect to think the euro zone countries are excessively focused on budget austerity and the timing of its downgrades was "odd", said the European Commission on Monday.
Japanese stocks rose on Friday, after Spanish and Italian borrowing costs decreased, a sign investors are more optimistic on the economic outlook for the countries.
Swiss stocks closed lower on Friday on concern some euro area countries may be downgraded by Standard & Poor's in the next few days. These expectations were proven to be justified later that day.
U.K. producer output prices fell in December for the first time since June 2010, as input prices eased 0.6 per cent. Factory gate prices dropped 0.2 per cent from November, the Office for National Statistics announced on Friday.
U.S. consumer sentiment rose to eight-month high in January as Americans became more confident on the outlook for the economy. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment advanced to 74 from 69.9 at the end of the previous month.
The European Central Bank's 489 billion euros allotted among euro area banks at a record rate of one per cent are supporting the region's economy, said the ECB president on Thursday.
Japanese stocks dropped on Thursday, snapping two days of gains, as German economic data and weaker exporters added to worries the global economy is under strain.
Swiss stocks closed slightly higher on Thursday after Spain sold 9.98 billion euros of government bonds maturing in 2015 and 2016 and Italy sold 12 billion euros of Treasury bills, pushing yields lower.
U.K. industrial output decreased 0.6% in November, said the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday, intensifying worries over the strength of the economy.
U.S. month on month retail sales grew less than expected in December and jobless claims rose sharply, signalling the economic recovery remains shaky. Total retail sales rose 0.1 per cent after increasing 0.4 per cent in November, said the Census Bureau on Thursday. Economists expected sales to advance 0.3 per cent.
The European Central Bank kept its benchmark rate at record low of 1 per cent on Thursday, a move widely expected by economists, and noted a "significant, if not substantial," decrease in interest rates across markets.
Japanese stocks closed higher for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as strong U.S. employment data boosted the earning outlook for exporters.
Swiss stocks edged lower on Wednesday after Fitch called the European Central Bank to boost its government bond purchases to ease strains in financial markets.
U.K. trade deficit widened more than expected to £8.6 billion in November from £7.9 billion in October, said the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday. Economists had forecast the deficit of no more than £8.3 billion.
The U.S. Federal Reserve should keep interest rates near zero to combat high unemployment and help the economy to recover, said Fed's top official on Wednesday.
The European Central Bank should boost its bond purchasing programme to support the third largest euro zone economy, Italy, and avert a "cataclysmic" collapse of the euro, said David Riley, the head of sovereign ratings at Fitch, on Wednesday.
U.S. month-on-month wholesale inventories barely grew in November, suggesting the economy is recovering at a moderate pace. Inventories rose 0.1 per cent after increasing 1.2 per cent in October, said the Commerce Department on Tuesday.
Japanese stocks closed higher on Tuesday, snapping two days of losses after the U.S. economy added more jobs than it was expected and unemployment fell to 8.5 per cent in December.
Swiss stocks closed higher for the first time in four days as a meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel with International Monetary Fund Chief Christine Lagarde boosted optimism that law makers are searching for new solutions to solve the sovereign debt crisis.
U.K. retail sector expanded in December 2011, compared to the same period last year as retailers offered generous discounts to lure shoppers. Retails sales rose 2.2 per cent, after declining 1.6 per cent the previous year, said the British Retail Consortium on Tuesday.