Retail sales and public sector finance from the UK and consumer sentiment from Germany will be in the spotlight on Friday. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK retail sales and public sector finance data. Sales are forecast to grow 0.3 percent on a monthly basis in November, in contrast to the 1.1 percent drop in October.

The European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged for the fourth policy session in a row and raised the growth forecasts for the euro area citing support from domestic demand, but the bank also lifted the inflation projection for next year as policymakers expect services inflation to ease more slowly than expected earlier.

A report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia on Thursday unexpectedly showed a notable decrease by its reading on regional manufacturing activity in the month of December. The Philly Fed said its diffusion index for current general activity slumped to a negative 10.2 in December from a negative 1.7 in November, with a negative reading indicating contraction.

The annual rate of growth by consumer prices has unexpectedly slowed, according to data released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The Labor Department said consumer prices in November were up by 2.7 percent compared to the same month a year ago. The year-over-year price growth in November reflects a notable slowdown from the 3.0 percent surge in September.

A report released by the Labor Department on Thursday showed first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits declined roughly in line with economist estimates in the week ended December 13th. The Labor Department said initial jobless claims fell to 224,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised level of 237,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to slip to 225,000.

The Bank of England lowered its benchmark rate for the fourth time this year as inflation is expected to fall back towards the target more quickly in the near term and signaled further reductions next year. The Monetary Policy Committee, governed by Andrew Bailey, voted 5-4 to reduce the bank rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 percent, which was the lowest since early 2023.

UK inflation slowed more than expected in November, strengthening the call for an interest rate reduction this week, official data revealed on Wednesday. The consumer price index rose 3.2 percent year-on-year, slower than the 3.6 percent increase in October, the Office for National Statistics said. Inflation was forecast to ease marginally to 3.5 percent.

German business confidence deteriorated to a seven-month low in December as companies were more pessimistic about the first half of next year, survey data from the Munich-based ifo Institute showed on Wednesday. The business climate index dropped to 87.6 in December from 88.0 in November. The score was expected to rise to 88.2.

The British pound weakened against other major currencies in the European session on Wednesday, after U.K. inflation slowed more than expected in November.

Thailand's central bank lowered its key interest rate by a quarter-point on Wednesday as economic growth is forecast to moderate further amid subdued inflation. The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Thailand unanimously decided to cut the policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.25 percent from 1.50 percent. Previously, the bank had lowered the policy rate by 25 basis points each in August.

Inflation figures from the UK and the euro area, as well as business confidence data from Germany, are scheduled for release on Wednesday, marking a busy day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK consumer and producer prices data. Inflation is seen easing to 3.5 percent in November from 3.6 percent in October.

The Commerce Department released a report on Tuesday showing business inventories in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of September. The report said business inventories rose by 0.2 percent in September after coming in unchanged in August.

A report released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday showed retail sales in the U.S. were roughly flat in the month of October. The Commerce Department said retail sales were virtually unchanged in October after inching up by a downwardly revised 0.1 percent in September. Economists had expected retail sales to rise by 0.2 percent.

Employment in the U.S. increased by more than expected in the month of November, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Tuesday, although the job growth followed a notable decrease in employment in October. The report said non-farm payroll employment climbed by 64,000 jobs in November after tumbling by 105,000 jobs in October.

The euro area private sector growth eased in December as the manufacturing sector contracted and the services activity logged a weaker expansion, a flash survey compiled by S&P Global showed on Tuesday. The HCOB composite output index, which measures overall private sector activity, dipped to 51.9 in December from a final reading of 52.8 in November.

The British pound strengthened against other major currencies in the European session on Tuesday, after the UK PMI showed an improvement in the private sector for the month of December.

German economic sentiment strengthened to a five-month high in December as analysts expect the expansive fiscal policy to support economic recovery, the financial market survey conducted by the think tank ZEW showed Tuesday. The economic sentiment index advanced to 45.8 in December from 38.5 in the previous month, reaching the highest since last July. The score was seen at 38.4.

The Japanese yen strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday, as traders speculate that the Bank of Japan or the BoJ is likely to increase its interest rate in the policy meeting held this week.

The antipodean currencies such as the Australia and the New Zealand dollars weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday amid increasing risk-off mood by the investors, with continued weakness in energy stocks as well as technology stocks on uncertainty remains about AI spending and the possibility of a tech bubble. Traders were also reluctant to make significant moves ahead of the release of some key U.S. economic data in the coming days, including retail sales and inflation.

The UK unemployment rate rose slightly in the three months to October, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. The jobless rate climbed to 5.1 percent in the three months to October from 5.0 percent in the preceding period. In the three months to October, average earnings excluding bonuses grew 4.6 percent from the prior year, which was slightly faster than the forecast of 4.5 percent.

Upcoming Eurozone and UK Flash Purchasing Managers' survey results will be in focus on Tuesday. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics will release the UK unemployment data. The jobless rate is forecast to rise to 5.1 percent in the three months to October from 5.0 percent in the preceding period.

Euro area industrial production increased at the fastest pace in five months in October led by robust output growth in the energy sector and non-durable goods manufacturing, preliminary data from the statistical office Eurostat showed on Monday.

The National Association of Home Builders released a report on Monday showing a modest improvement by U.S. homebuilder confidence in the month of December. The report said the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index crept up to 39 in December after inching up to 38 in November. The uptick, which matched economist estimates, lifted the index to its highest level since hitting 40 in April.

A report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday showed an unexpected downturn by regional manufacturing activity in the month of December. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index plunged to a negative 3.9 in December from a positive 18.7 in November, with a negative reading indicating contraction. Economists had expected the index to fall to a positive 10.6

The six-currency Dollar Index which measures the U.S. dollar's strength against a basket of 6 currencies declined during the week ended December 12 amidst a widely expected rate cut and forward guidance by the Federal Reserve.