UK private sector rebounded the most in nearly two years in February as new orders registered a robust upturn, flash survey results from S&P Global revealed Friday. The flash composite output index registered 53.9 in February, up from 53.7 in January, to signal the fastest rise in private sector activity since April 2024.

The improvement was driven by a sharper expansion of manufacturing produc

The euro area private sector growth improved to a three-month high in February, driven by notable expansion in the German manufacturing sector, flash survey results published by S&P Global revealed Friday. The HCOB flash composite output index registered 51.9 in February, up from 51.3 in January. The score was expected to rise to 51.5.

Flash composite Purchasing Managers' survey results from the euro area and the UK are due on Friday, headlining a busy day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK retail sales and public sector finance data. Retail sales are forecast to grow 0.2 percent on a monthly basis in January, following December's 0.4 percent increase. The budget defici

Pending home sales in the U.S. unexpectedly saw further downside in the month of January, according to a report released by the National Association of Realtors on Thursday. NAR said its pending home sales index slid by 0.8 percent to 70.9 in January after plunging by 7.4 percent to a revised 71.5 in December.

The Conference Board released a report on Thursday showing a continued decrease by its reading on leading U.S. economic indicators in the month of December. The report said the leading economic index dipped by 0.2 percent in December after falling by 0.3 percent in November.

A report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia on Thursday showed regional manufacturing activity expanded overall in the month of February. The Philly Fed said its diffusion index for current general activity climbed to 16.3 in February from 12.6 in January, with a positive reading indicating growth. Economists had expected the index to decrease to 7.7.

Reflecting a surge in imports and a slump in exports, the Commerce Department released a report on Thursday showing the U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly widened in the month of December. The Commerce Department said the trade deficit grew to $70.3 billion in December from a revised $53.0 billion in November.

First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits fell by much more than expected in the week ended February 14th, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The report said initial jobless claims slid to 206,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised level of 229,000.

The Philippines' central bank decided to cut the policy rates by 25 basis points on Thursday as economic growth undershot expectations on weaker domestic demand. The Monetary Board decided to reduce the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' target reverse repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 4.25 percent. Accordingly, the interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities were adjusted.

The Federal Reserve released the minutes of its latest monetary policy meeting on Wednesday, revealing that officials remain divided about the outlook for interest rates. The minutes of the Fed's January 27-28 meeting said several participants felt further rate cuts would likely be appropriate if inflation were to decline in line with their expectations.

Partly reflecting a surge in utilities output, the Federal Reserve released a report on Wednesday showing industrial production in the U.S. increased by more than expected in the month of January. The Fed said industrial production grew by 0.7 percent in January after rising by a downwardly revised 0.2 percent in December.

A report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday showed a sharp increase in new residential construction in the U.S. in the month of December. The Commerce Department said housing starts spiked by 6.2 percent to an annual rate of 1.404 million in December after jumping by 3.9 percent to an annual rate of 1.322 million in November.

New orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods pulled back by much less than expected in the month of December, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday. The Commerce Department said durable goods orders slumped by 1.4 percent in December after spiking by an upwardly revised 5.4 percent in November.

UK consumer price inflation eased to a ten-month low in January on weaker fuel and food costs, raising expectations of an interest rate reduction by the Bank of England. The consumer price index posted an annual increase of 3.0 percent, the Office for National Statistics reported Wednesday. This was the lowest inflation since March 2025, when it stood at 2.6 percent.

Consumer prices from the UK and final inflation from France are the top economic news due on Wednesday. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK consumer and producer prices for January. Inflation is forecast to ease to 3.0 percent in January from 3.4 percent in December.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand left its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, signalling an intention to maintain an accommodative policy stance to support economic recovery. At the first meeting of Anna Breman as RBNZ Governor, the Monetary Policy Committee decided to hold the key official cash rate at 2.25 percent, as widely expected.

Homebuilder confidence has unexpectedly seen a modest deterioration in the month of February, according to a report released by the National Association of Home Builders on Tuesday. The report said the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index edged down to 36 in February after slipping to 37 in January. Economists had expected the index to inch up to 38.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a report on Tuesday showing a modest increase in regional manufacturing activity in the month of February. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index edged down to 7.1 in February from 7.7 in January, but a positive reading still indicates growth. Economists had expected the index to dip to 6.0.

The UK unemployment rate reached a near five-year high and wage growth softened in the fourth quarter, strengthening the case for the Bank of England to cut interest rates in March. The unemployment rate rose to 5.2 percent in the three months to December from 5.1 percent in the preceding period, the Office for National Statistics reported Tuesday.

German economic confidence weakened unexpectedly in February after a strong rebound at the start of the year, the financial market survey conducted by the think tank ZEW showed Tuesday. The ZEW indicator of economic sentiment dropped to 58.3 in February from 59.6 in January, which was the highest since July 2021. The score was forecast to rise further to 65.2.

The U.S. dollar declined against major currencies during the week ended February 13 amidst a softening in consumer price inflation that renewed expectations of monetary easing by the Federal Reserve.

Economic sentiment and final inflation from Germany and labor market statistics from the UK are the top economic news due on Tuesday. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK labor market data. The jobless rate is seen at 5.2 percent in the three months to December, up from 5.1 percent in the preceding period.

Switzerland's economy returned to growth in the fourth quarter, with the service sector expanding despite flat industrial output, the flash estimate from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, or SECO, showed on Monday. Gross domestic product expanded 0.2 percent on a quarterly basis, in contrast to the 0.5 percent contraction in the third quarter.

The British pound strengthened against other major currencies in the European session on Monday, as investors await the release of the U.K.'s inflation and employment figures on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Eurozone industrial production declined for the first time in four months in December, according to data from Eurostat released on Monday. Industrial production logged a monthly fall of 1.4 percent in December, in contrast to the 0.3 percent increase seen in November. This was the first decline since August.