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[IFX Gertrude]

Australia NAB Business Conditions Rise In May



Australia's business conditions and confidence improved in May but remained deeply negative, survey data from National Australia Bank showed Tuesday.

The business conditions index gained 10 points to -24 in May after hitting the lowest level since the global financial crisis.

While improvement in conditions was broad-based across industries, conditions in services industries remained notably weaker.

The increase in conditions was driven by an improvement in trading conditions and profitability, while the employment index logged a more moderate improvement.

At the same time, the business confidence index advanced to -20 in May from -45 in April.

Business confidence increased from its low point in March, but remained weak with a current reading last seen around the trough in the 1990s recession.

With coronavirus containment measures having generally been eased, although to varying degrees across the states, there have seen some pickup in activity, the NAB said. However, uncertainty remains high both globally and domestically and businesses likely remain concerned about how quickly they will return to full capacity.

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[IFX Gertrude]

China Inflation -0.8% On Month In May



Consumer prices in China tumbled 0.8 percent on month in May, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday - missing expectations for a fall of 0.5 percent following the 0.9 percent drop in April.

On a yearly basis, consumer prices rose 2.4 percent - also shy of forecasts for an increase of 2.7 percent and down sharply from 3.3 percent in the previous month.

The bureau also said that producer prices were down 3.7 percent on year versus expectations of a fall of 3.3 percent following the 3.1 percent slide a month earlier.

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[IFX Gertrude]

UK House Price Balance At 10-Year Low: RICS



The UK house price indicator moved deeper into negative territory in May amid coronavirus pandemic, survey data from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, or RICS, showed Thursday.

The house price balance fell to -32 percent in May from -22 percent in April. This was the weakest monthly figure since 2010.

Moreover, near-term price expectations remained downbeat, with the index standing at -43 percent. Further, a net -16 percent forecast prices to fall over the year ahead. The survey showed that there was a slight improvement in the sales outlook as estate agents were permitted to reopen on May 13. Nonetheless, given the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic, overall sentiment remained cautions.

The net balance for new buyer enquiries rose to -5 percent in May from a record low of -94 percent in April.

Despite a net balance of -20 percent of contributors reporting that new instructions coming onto the market continued to fall in May, this was noticeably less negative compared to the reading of -97 percent last month, RICS said.

Further, the net balance for near term sales expectations advanced to -4 percent from -58 percent in April.

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[IFX Gertrude]

UK House Price Balance At 10-Year Low: RICS



The UK house price indicator moved deeper into negative territory in May amid coronavirus pandemic, survey data from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, or RICS, showed Thursday.

The house price balance fell to -32 percent in May from -22 percent in April. This was the weakest monthly figure since 2010.

Moreover, near-term price expectations remained downbeat, with the index standing at -43 percent. Further, a net -16 percent forecast prices to fall over the year ahead. The survey showed that there was a slight improvement in the sales outlook as estate agents were permitted to reopen on May 13. Nonetheless, given the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic, overall sentiment remained cautions.

The net balance for new buyer enquiries rose to -5 percent in May from a record low of -94 percent in April.

Despite a net balance of -20 percent of contributors reporting that new instructions coming onto the market continued to fall in May, this was noticeably less negative compared to the reading of -97 percent last month, RICS said.

Further, the net balance for near term sales expectations advanced to -4 percent from -58 percent in April.

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[IFX Gertrude]

South Korea Export Prices Rise 0.6% In May



Export prices in South Korea were up 0.6 percent on month in May, the Bank of Korea said on Friday - following the 2.2 percent monthly decline in April.

On a yearly basis, export prices sank 8.2 percent after dropping 6.5 percent in the previous month.

Prices for agricultural, forestry and marine exports fell 0.7 percent on month and 3.8 percent on year, while prices for manufacturing products added 0.7 percent on month and lost 8.2 percent on year.

Import prices were up 4.2 percent on month and down 12.8 percent on year after falling 5.7 percent on month and 14.6 percent on year in April.

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[IFX Gertrude]

South Korea Export Prices Rise 0.6% In May



Export prices in South Korea were up 0.6 percent on month in May, the Bank of Korea said on Friday - following the 2.2 percent monthly decline in April.

On a yearly basis, export prices sank 8.2 percent after dropping 6.5 percent in the previous month.

Prices for agricultural, forestry and marine exports fell 0.7 percent on month and 3.8 percent on year, while prices for manufacturing products added 0.7 percent on month and lost 8.2 percent on year.

Import prices were up 4.2 percent on month and down 12.8 percent on year after falling 5.7 percent on month and 14.6 percent on year in April.

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[IFX Gertrude]

China's Industrial Output Rises, Retail Sales Fall



China's industrial production growth accelerated and retail sales decreased at a slower pace in May, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday.

Industrial production grew 4.4 percent on a yearly basis in May, faster than the 3.9 percent increase logged in April. Economists had forecast a 5 percent rise.

Retail sales dropped at a slower pace of 2.8 percent in May from last year, slower than the 7.5 percent decrease seen in April. Sales were forecast to fall 2 percent.

During January to May, fixed asset investment decreased 6.3 percent from the same period of last year. Economists had forecast a 5.9 percent fall.

The People's Bank of China injected CNY 200 billion funds into the financial system via medium-term lending facility at a rate of 2.95 percent, unchanged from previous operation.

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[IFX Gertrude]

Euro Little Changed After Eurozone Trade Data



At 5.00 am ET Monday, Eurostat has published euro area foreign trade figures for April. The euro changed little against its major rivals after the data.

The euro was trading at 120.83 against the yen, 1.1261 against the greenback, 1.0708 against the franc and 0.8981 against the pound around 5:05 am ET.

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[IFX Gertrude]

New Zealand Has NZ$1.6 Billion Current Account Shortfall



New Zealand had a seasonally adjusted current account deficit of NZ$1.6 billion in the first quarter of 2020, Statistics New Zealand said on Wednesday.

That missed expectations for a surplus of NZ$1.482 billion but was an improvement over the NZ$2.66 billion shortfall in the three months prior.

The seasonally adjusted goods deficit narrowed to NZ$213 million, while the services surplus narrowed to NZ$983 million.

The primary income deficit widened to NZ$2.2 billion and the financial account recorded a net outflow of NZ$7.7 billion.

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[IFX Gertrude]

European Economics Preview: Bank Of England Rate Decision Due



Monetary policy meetings of the Bank of England and Swiss National Bank are due on Thursday, headlining a busy day for European economic news.

Economists widely expect the monetary policy committee of the BoE to expand its quantitative easing by at least GBP 100 billion from the current size of GBP 645 billion. The interest rate is expected to remain at a record low 0.1 percent.

The BoE is scheduled to release its summary and the minutes of the meeting at 7.00 am ET.

The Swiss National Bank is expected to hold its policy rate and interest on sight deposits at -0.75 percent. The announcement is due at 3.30 am ET.

At 4.00 am ET, Italy's Istat is slated to release foreign trade data for April.

At 4.00 am ET, Norges Bank announces its rate decision. In the meantime, Statistics Poland publishes employment growth data for May.

At 5.00 am ET, the Hellenic Statistical Authority publishes unemployment data for March.

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