New Zealand's first quarter employment data showed unemployment rose as the participation and employment rate also increased.
The UK manufacturing sector encountered a surprise contraction in April that reflected in the PMI, as it entered negative territory for the first time in 4 years, plummeting under the 50 point mark to show 49.2 points.
Atlanta Federal Reserve President Dennis Lockhart said that the UK's referendum on whether to leave the EU could "loom large" as the Fed weigh whether to hike interest rates at its next policy meeting.
Activity in China's manufacturing sector unexpectedly dropped further in April, fuelling doubts about whether Beijing's stimulus measures can sustain growth in the world's second-largest economy.
The Reserve Bank of Australia surprised economists by slashing interest rates to a new historic low in a bid to reignite inflationary pressures.
The US manufacturing sector expanded at a more moderate pace in April, partly due to a slowdown in new orders, but an increase in export orders to the highest level in more than a year offered hope for the sector.
ECB President Mario Draghi responded to critics from German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble that negative interest rates hurt savers and weighing on the banking sector.
Activity in China's manufacturing sector increased for the second month in a row in April, but only marginally, fuelling doubts about the sustainability of a recent pick-up in the world's second-largest economy.
Canada's economy contracted for the first time in five months in February, as the manufacturing, mining and energy sectors all shrank.
The Fed's favourite inflation barometer slowed in March, falling from one-and-a-half-year peak, while consumer spending ebbed.
The Euro zone posted mixed fundamentals with the economy growing strongly and unemployment falling slightly while consumer prices dropped yet again into deflation territory.
The Fed opted not to hike interest rates and remained ambiguous about raising rates in June amid moribund economy and weakening consumer spending.