Partly reflecting a jump in wholesale inventories, the Commerce Department released a report on Thursday showing U.S. business inventories increased by slightly more than expected in the month of March. The report said business inventories climbed by 0.9 percent in March after rising by 0.4 percent in February. Economists had expected business inventories to grow by 0.8 percent.

The Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing a substantial increase in import prices in the U.S. in the month of April. The report said import prices shot up by 1.9 percent in April after climbing by an upwardly revised 0.9 percent in March. Economists had expected import prices to jump by 1.0 percent.

A report released by the Commerce Department on Thursday showed retail sales in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of April. The Commerce Department said retail sales climbed by 0.5 percent in April after jumping by a downwardly revised 1.6 percent in March.

First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits rose by more than expected in the week ended May 9th, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The report said initial jobless claims climbed to 211,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised level of 199,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to rise to 205,000.

The Indian rupee strengthened against the U.S. dollar in the European session on Thursday, as India's wholesale price inflation has increased, markets focused on the trajectory of interest rates.

The U.K. economy grew at a stronger pace in the first quarter of the year ahead of the escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that triggered supply disruptions and a surge in crude oil price. Gross domestic product increased 0.6 percent sequentially, following the fourth quarter's 0.2 percent expansion, the Office for National Statistics said.

Quarterly national accounts, industrial production and foreign trade reports from the UK are due on Thursday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics is scheduled to issue UK GDP, industrial output and external trade figures. The economy is forecast to grow 0.6 percent in the first quarter after rising 0.1 percent in the preceding

Following yesterday's consumer price inflation data, the Labor Department released a separate report on Wednesday showing producer prices in the U.S. shot up by much more than expected in the month of April. The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand jumped by 1.4 percent in April after climbing by an upwardly revised 0.7 percent in March.

The euro area economy expanded only marginally in the first quarter, the statistical office Eurostat confirmed on Wednesday. Gross domestic product posted a quarterly growth of 0.1 percent, matching the initial estimate but slower than the 0.2 percent expansion seen in the fourth quarter, Eurostat reported.

Flash quarterly national accounts and industrial production from the euro area and final inflation from France are due on Wednesday. At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to issue Germany's wholesale prices for April. Wholesale prices are forecast to rise 1.8 percent on a monthly basis after rising 2.7 percent in March.

With energy prices surging, the Labor Department released a report on Tuesday showing consumer prices in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of April. The Labor Department said its consumer price index climbed by 0.6 percent in April after advancing by 0.9 percent in March. The growth matched expectations.

German economic confidence unexpectedly improved in May as financial experts anticipate an end to the Iran war, survey results from the Mannheim-based Centre for European Economic Research, or ZEW, showed Tuesday. The ZEW indicator of economic sentiment rose to -10.2 in May from -17.2 in the previous month. The score was forecast to fall to -19.1. However, the index remained negative.

Economic sentiment and final inflation from Germany are due on Tuesday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to release Germany's final inflation figures for April. The flash estimate showed that consumer price inflation rose to 2.9 percent from 2.7 percent in March.

After reporting a sharp pullback by U.S. existing home sales in the previous month, the National Association of Realtors released a report on Monday showing existing home sales rebounded by much less than expected in the month of April. NAR said existing home sales crept up by 0.2 percent to an annual rate of 4.02 million in April.

The Japanese yen weakened against other major currencies in the European session on Monday, due to worries about Japanese authorities intervening in the foreign exchange market.

The U.S. dollar extended losses against major currencies during the week ended May 8 despite data from the U.S. that showed a resilient job market. Fading safe haven demand dragged down the dollar amidst President Trump's assertion that the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran remained intact despite the recent flare-up in the Strait of Hormuz.

China's inflation unexpectedly accelerated and factory gate inflation hit a 45-month high in April as the war in the Middle East stoked energy prices, official data showed Monday. Consumer price inflation rose to 1.2 percent in April from 1.0 percent in March, the National Bureau of Statistics reported. Prices were expected to climb 0.9 percent.

The Commerce Department released a report on Friday showing a sharp increase in U.S. wholesale inventories in the month of March. The report said wholesale inventories shot up by 1.3 percent in March after climbing by an upwardly revised 0.9 percent in February.

Consumer sentiment in the U.S. has deteriorated by more than anticipated in the month of May, according to preliminary data released by the University of Michigan on Friday. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index fell to 48.2 in May from 49.8 in April. Economists had expected the index to edge down to 49.3.

A closely watched report released by the Labor Department on Friday showed much stronger than expected U.S. job growth in the month of April. The Labor Department said non-farm payroll employment shot up by 115,000 jobs in April after surging by an upwardly revised 185,000 jobs in March. Economists had expected employment to climb by 63,000 jobs.

UK house prices dropped for the second straight month in April as geopolitical tensions drive inflation higher and trigger interest rate hike concerns, data published by the mortgage lender Halifax showed Friday. House prices dropped 0.1 percent on a monthly basis in April but slower than the 0.5 percent decrease in March.

Germany's industrial production declined unexpectedly in March as the war in the Middle East started to take its toll on industrial activity, official data revealed Friday. Industrial output dropped 0.7 percent in March, marking the second consecutive monthly decline, Destatis reported.

Industrial production and foreign trade from Germany and house prices from the UK are the top economic news due on Friday. At 2.00 am ET, Destatis releases Germany's industrial output and foreign trade figures. Economists forecast industrial output to grow 0.4 percent on a monthly basis in March, in contrast to the 0.3 percent fall in February.

With an increase in spending on private construction more than offsetting a dip in spending on public construction, the Commerce Department released a report on Thursday showing U.S. construction spending rose by more than expected in the month of March.

Labor productivity in the U.S. increased by much less than expected in the first quarter of 2026, according to preliminary data released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The report said labor productivity climbed by 0.8 percent in the first quarter after jumping by a downwardly revised 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025.