UK economic activity shrinks in July at sharpest pace since early 2009

Jul 22, 2016 12:42 pm UTC| Commentary Economy

The flash composite PMI of UK for the month of July dropped to 47.7 from Junes 52.4. This is the weakest reading since April 2009. Services sector output in the UK saw the steepest fall, with the index dropping to 47.4, an...

Brazil’s mid-July inflation comes in above expectations; full month inflation likely to reach 8.6 pct

Jul 22, 2016 12:20 pm UTC| Commentary Economy

Brazils inflation measured by IPCA-15 index, which gauges inflation from mid-June to mid-July reached 0.54 percent month-on-month, as compared to 0.35 percent month-on-month in the Junes entire month and 0.4 percent...

Euro area’s business activity growth drops in July

Jul 22, 2016 11:31 am UTC| Commentary Economy

Business activity growth in the euro area dropped in July. The Markit Eurozone Flash PMI fell to an 18.-month low of 52.9 in July. The pace of growth of output throughout services and manufacturing eased marginally. But...

Germany’s private sector output growth accelerates in July

Jul 22, 2016 11:02 am UTC| Commentary Economy

German private sector output growth is likely to have accelerated at the beginning ofthird quarter, as emphasized by the Markit Flash Germany Composite Output Index that rose to 55.3 in July from 54.4 in June. This is the...

Italy’s retail trade index rises 0.3 pct m/m in May; industrial new orders index falls 2.8 pct

Jul 22, 2016 10:56 am UTC| Commentary Economy

Italys official statistics office, Istat, released the nations retail trade data for the month of May. The retail trade index rose 0.3 percent month-on-month on a seasonally adjusted basis in May. Food goods recorded a...

France’s private sector output likely to have stabilized in July

Jul 22, 2016 10:53 am UTC| Commentary Economy

The recent flash PMI data for France hinted that private sector output in France stabilized in July. The Markit Flash France Composite Output Index rose to 50 in July from 49.6 in June. Service providers hinted at a slight...

ECB stands pat, makes no change to rules governing quantitative easing

Jul 22, 2016 10:13 am UTC| Insights & Views Central Banks Economy

The European Central Bank (ECB) kept its interest rates and forward guidance unchanged as expected on Thursday. The ECB kept its deposit rate at -0.4 percent and the main refinancing rate at 0.00 percent, both record lows,...