Swiss stock gained on Tuesday for the eight consecutive day after Germany and France confirmed their intentions to introduce changes to the EU treaty.
U.K. house prices fell 0.9 percent in November after advancing 1.2 percent in October, said Tuesday Halifax Bank of Scotland that is now part of Lloyds Banking Group.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner arrived in Germany on Tuesday to urge euro zone officials to take decisive action to combat debt crisis in the region. This is one of the several trips Geithner has made in recent month as U.S. worries over the crisis in Europe grow.
Standard & Poor's placed ratings of 15 euro zone countries on watch with negative outlook on Monday, hinting that nations' ratings depend on the outcome of a summit of European Union leaders on December 9.
Japanese stocks closed higher on Monday after Italy voted for 30 billion-euro austerity plan on Sunday. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.60%, or 52.23 points, to 8,695.98, while the broader Topix gained 0.60%, or 4.47, to 748.61.
Swiss stock rose on Monday extending last week's rally after France and Germany announced plans to change EU treaty and Italy approved a three-year austerity plan on Sunday.
U. K. service sector expanded in November at faster pace, compared to October. The Markit/Cips services purchasing managers' index (PMI) advanced to 52.1 from 51.3 in October, said the Markit research agency on Monday. Reading above 50.0 indicates industry expansion.
U. S. service sector expanded in November at the slowest pace in almost two years. The Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing index slid to 52 from 52.9 in October, said the company on Monday. Reading above 50.0 indicates industry expansion.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday they are planning changes to the European Union treaty to ensure tighter fiscal policy among member countries and win back investor confidence.
Japanese stocks gained on Friday after better-than-expected manufacturing data from U.S. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.54%, or 46.37 points, to 8,643.75, while the broader Topix advanced 0.56%, or 4.13, to 744.14.
Swiss stock gained on Friday, after U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' report showed the unemployment rate in the world's largest economy declined to 8.6 percent in November.
U.K. construction sector contracted modestly in November, according to the data published by the Markit agency on Friday. The construction purchasing managers' index slid to 52.3 in November from 53.9 in October. A reading above 50 signals industry expansion.
The unemployment rate declined to 8.6 percent in November from 9 percent in October, said the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday. Economists expected the reading to remain at 9 percent.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a speech to parliament Friday that European sovereign debt crisis cannot be solved in one step and once again rejected joint euro bonds idea, urging instead a tighter fiscal union.
Japanese stocks rose on Thursday after six central banks agreed to lower rate on U.S. dollar liquidity swap arrangements by 50 basis points. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.93%, or 162.77 points, to 8,597.38, while the broader Topix gained 1.59%, or 11.55, to 740.01.
Swiss gross domestic product rose moderate 0.2 percent in the third quarter of 2011 and at the slowest pace since 2009, the Federal State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said on Thursday.
U.K. manufacturing sector contracted modestly in November, according to the data published by the Markit agency on Thursday. The manufacturing purchasing managers' index slid to 47.6 in November from 47.8 in October. A reading below 50 signals contraction.
The number of Americans claiming for unemployment benefits rose to 402 thousand last week from 396 thousand the week before, said the Department of Labor on Thursday. Economists expected the reading to decline to 390 thousand.
The new head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi hinted on Thursday that the bank is ready to take more decisive action if political leaders agree on tighter fiscal policy among member countries next week.
Japan's preliminary industrial output increased 2.4 per cent from the previous month in October, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reported on Wednesday. Economists expected the figure to advance 1.1 per cent.
Swiss stocks gained on Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve System and five major European central banks cut rate 0.5 percent on existing U.S. dollar liquidity swap arrangements.
U.K. consumer confidence improved slightly in November, while still remaining close to its lowest level since 2009, as the country's habitants remain pessimistic on the outlook of the country's economy. An index, which measures consumers' sentiment, rose to -31 in November from -32 in October.
The number of Americans, who have found a job in a private sector in November rose to 206 thousand from 130 thousand the previous month, the ADP Employer Services said on Wednesday. Economists expected the figure to increase to 131 thousand.
The Federal Reserve Wednesday decreased dollar borrowing costs for European central banks by cutting rate on existing U.S. dollar liquidity swap arrangements by 50 basis points, or 0.5 percent. This action will provide cheaper dollar liquidity for financial companies.