UK house prices logged a faster growth in April despite geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and rising energy prices, data published by Nationwide Building Society showed Friday. House prices grew by more-than-expected 3.0 percent on a yearly basis in April, following an increase of 2.2 percent in March. Prices were expected to rise again by 2.2 percent.

Mortgage approvals and final manufacturing Purchasing Managers' survey results from the UK are due on Friday. At 2.00 am ET, UK Nationwide house price data is due. House prices are forecast to grow 2.2 percent on a yearly basis in April, the same rate of growth as seen in March.

The Conference Board released a report on Thursday showing a pullback by its reading on leading U.S. economic indicators in the month of March. The report said the leading economic index slid by 0.6 percent in March, more than reversing the 0.3 percent increase in February.

MNI Indicators released a report on Thursday showing is reading on Chicago-area business activity unexpectedly slid into contractionary territory in the month of April. The report said the Chicago business barometer fell to 49.2 in April from 52.8 in March, with a reading below 50 indicating contraction. Economists had expected the business barometer to rise to 55.3.

Consumer prices in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of March, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Thursday. The Commerce Department said its personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index climbed by 0.7 percent in March after rising by 0.4 in February. Economists had expected prices to increase by 0.7 percent.

A report released by the Commerce Department on Thursday showed U.S. economic growth reaccelerated in the first quarter of 2026 but came in slightly below economist estimates. The Commerce Department said gross domestic product shot up by 2.0 percent in the first quarter after climbing by 0.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. Economists had expected GDP to jump by 2.1 percent.

The European Central Bank left its interest rates unchanged on Thursday, as expected, even as policymakers expressed increasing concern over the impact of the surging energy prices and the intensifying war in the Middle East.

The Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits fell by much more than expected in the week ended April 25th. The report said initial jobless claims slid to 189,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised level of 215,000.

The Bank of England left its key interest rate unchanged on Thursday but cautioned that there is a risk of material second-round effects from the energy price shock, caused by the war in the Middle East, which could lead to future rate hikes. The BoE Monetary Policy Committee, led by Governor Andrew Bailey, voted 8-1 to hold the bank rate at 3.75 percent.

The German economy logged an unexpected faster growth in the first quarter, despite challenges posed by the war in the Middle East. Gross domestic product grew 0.3 percent sequentially in the first quarter, slightly faster than the revised 0.2 percent expansion seen in the fourth quarter of 2025, preliminary estimate from Destatis revealed Thursday.

France's economy remained flat in the first quarter due to sluggish domestic demand and weaker exports and consumer price inflation hit the highest since mid-2024, driven by surging energy prices, official data showed Thursday. Gross domestic product stalled in the first quarter after expanding 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter, according to the first estimate from the statistical office INSEE.

For the third consecutive meeting, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced its widely expected decision to leave rates unchanged, although the vote was unusually divided. The Fed said it decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50 to 3.75 percent, citing its dual goals of maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run.

Citing ongoing uncertainty, the Bank of Canada on Wednesday announced its widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged for the fourth consecutive meeting. The Bank of Canada said it decided to maintain its target for the overnight rate at 2.25 percent, with the Bank Rate at 2.5 percent and the deposit rate at 2.20 percent.

New orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods rebounded by more than expected in the month of March, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday. The Commerce Department said durable goods orders climbed by 0.8 percent in March after tumbling by a revised 1.2 percent in February.

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 March but a steep drop in building permits. The Commerce Department said housing starts soared by 10.8 percent to an annual rate of 1.502 million in March after tumbling by 3.0 percent to a rate of 1.356 million in February.

Euro area economic confidence deteriorated to the lowest level since November 2020, underscoring the rising concern about the strength of economic activity amid the intensifying price pressures and supply chain disruptions. The economic sentiment index dropped more-than-expected to 93.0 in April from 96.2 in the prior month, results of a monthly survey by the European Commission showed on Wednes

Flash inflation from Germany and economic sentiment from the euro area are the top economic news due on Wednesday. At 3.00 am ET, Spain's statistical office INE publishes flash inflation data for April. Consumer price inflation is forecast to edge up to 3.5 percent from 3.4 percent in March.

Australia's consumer prices inflation accelerated at the fastest pace since 2023, driven by increases in housing and transport costs, data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Wednesday. Consumer prices increased 4.6 percent on a yearly basis in March, marking the strongest inflation since September 2023.

Despite spiking gasoline prices, the Conference Board released a report on Tuesday showing an unexpected improvement in U.S. consumer confidence in the month of April. The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index crept up to 92.8 in April from an upwardly revised 92.2 in March.

The Bank of Japan retained its key interest rate in a split vote on Tuesday and upgraded its inflation outlook citing higher global crude oil prices due to the Iran war, and the policy assessment added to expectations for an interest rate hike in the near-term. The BoJ policy board, headed by Kazuo Ueda, voted 6-3 to hold the uncollateralized overnight call rate at around 0.75 percent at the end

The Dollar Index rebounded during the week ended April 24, amidst an uncertain geopolitical situation in the Middle East and lack of clarity about a deal to end the conflict.

German consumer sentiment is set to deteriorate sharply in May as income expectations collapsed due to rising inflation amid the war in Iran, the latest results of the NIM Consumer Climate powered by GfK showed Monday. The forward-looking consumer confidence index fell to -33.3 in May from -28.1 in April. This was the lowest score since February 2023.

Revised data released by the University of Michigan on Friday showed consumer sentiment in the U.S. deteriorated by less than previously estimated in April but still hit a record low. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index for April was upwardly revised to 49.8 from the preliminary reading of 47.6. Economists had expected the index to be unrevised.

Russia's central bank reduced its benchmark rate for the eighth consecutive time to contain rising inflation. The Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia decided to cut its interest rate by 50 basis points to 14.50 percent. The bank said it will assess the need for further key rate cuts at its upcoming meetings depending on sustainability of inflation slowdown.

UK retail sales grew unexpectedly in March largely due to a rise in fuel sales as motorists stocked up on fuel amid the war in the Middle East, the Office for National Statistics reported Friday. Retail sales increased 0.7 percent on a monthly basis in March, reversing a 0.6 percent fall in February. The increase also exceeded economists' expectations of flat growth.