http://www.rttnews.comGlobal financial news, market analysis, economics and forex newsen-usWed, 16 May 2012 14:00:05 GMTWith utilities output showing a substantial increase in the month of April, the Federal Reserve released a report Wednesday morning showing a much bigger than expected increase in overall industrial production for the month. The Fed said industrial production increased by 1.1 percent in April, far exceeding economist estimates for an increase of about 0.5 percent. At the same time, the report said production fell by 0.6 percent in March after rising by 0.4 percent in February.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887804Wed, 16 May 2012 13:42:12 GMTWith utilities output showing a substantial increase in the month of April, the Federal Reserve released a report Wednesday morning showing a much bigger than expected increase in overall industrial production for the month.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887777Wed, 16 May 2012 13:27:58 GMTHousing starts in the U.S. came in well above estimates in the month of April, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday, although the report also showed a sharp drop in building permits. The report showed that housing starts rose 2.6 percent to an annual rate of 717,000 in April from the revised March estimate of 699,000. Economists had expected housing starts to increase to 690,000 from the 654,000 originally reported for the previous month.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887760Wed, 16 May 2012 13:18:14 GMTHousing starts in the U.S. came in well above estimates in the month of April, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday, although the report also showed a sharp drop in building permits.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887692Wed, 16 May 2012 12:38:21 GMTThe Bank of England said the U.K. growth is set to remain subdued with headwinds blowing from the Eurozone debt crisis, leaving room open for more stimulus. Moreover, inflation is judged to take more time to return to its target than estimated three months ago. In its quarterly Inflation Report released on Wednesday, the central bank said the prospects for U.K. growth remain unusually uncertain. Governor Mervyn King said the economy will continue to face headwinds during the forecast period.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887672Wed, 16 May 2012 12:28:52 GMTGermany's ten-year borrowing costs declined at an auction on Wednesday as investors demanded more safe-haven debt. http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887624Wed, 16 May 2012 11:50:36 GMTFrance saw its borrowing costs fall on Wednesday in the first debt auction after President Francois Hollande's inauguration yesterday. http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887566Wed, 16 May 2012 11:02:18 GMTThe rate of unemployment and the number of persons claiming the job seekers' benefits in the U.K. posted surprise declines as the number of part-time workers hit the highest level on record during the March quarter, official data showed Wednesday.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887531Wed, 16 May 2012 10:22:04 GMTEuropean Union finance ministers have reached an agreement over stricter new banking rules in a bid to avoid future crises and relieve taxpayers from the need to bailout banks. In a statement, the Council of the European Union said the ministers unanimously agreed a general approach on two proposals - the so called "CRD 4" package, amending the EU's rules on capital requirements for banks and investment firms.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887225Wed, 16 May 2012 04:58:38 GMTAustralia's consumer confidence remained almost unchanged in May as the Reserve Bank's surprise rate cut failed to offset the negative sentiment from the recent developments in Europe, a key survey revealed Wednesday.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887205Wed, 16 May 2012 03:21:40 GMTCore machine orders in Japan contracted a seasonally adjusted 2.8 percent on month in March to a value of 746.3 billion yen, the Cabinet Office said on Tuesday - falling for the first time in three months.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887152Wed, 16 May 2012 01:48:42 GMTAn index measuring tertiary industry activity was down a seasonally adjusted 0.6 percent on month in March, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Wednesday, standing at 98.6.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887144Wed, 16 May 2012 00:15:29 GMTCore machine orders in Japan were down a seasonally adjusted 2.8 percent on month in March, the Cabinet Office said on Wednesday.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1887141Wed, 16 May 2012 00:07:24 GMTJapan is on Wednesday scheduled to release March numbers for core machine orders and the tertiary industry index, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1885808Tue, 15 May 2012 22:33:42 GMTHomebuilder confidence in the U.S. has seen a significant improvement in the month of May, the National Association of Home Builders revealed in a report on Tuesday, with the index of homebuilder confidence reaching a five-year high. The report showed that the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index jumped to 29 in May from a downwardly revised 24 in April. Economists had expected the index to edge up to 26 from the 25 originally reported for the previous month.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886591Tue, 15 May 2012 14:46:34 GMTBusiness inventories in the U.S. rose by slightly less than expected in the month of March, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, although the report also showed a notable increase in business sales. The report showed that business inventories rose by 0.3 percent in March following a 0.6 percent increase in February. Economists had expected inventories to increase by about 0.4 percent.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886582Tue, 15 May 2012 14:31:30 GMTHomebuilder confidence in the U.S. has seen a significant improvement in the month of May, the National Association of Home Builders revealed in a report on Tuesday, with the index of homebuilder confidence reaching a five-year high.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886565Tue, 15 May 2012 14:15:27 GMTRussia's economy grew at a slightly faster pace in the first quarter, data released by the Federal Statistical Service showed Tuesday.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886563Tue, 15 May 2012 14:14:22 GMTBusiness inventories in the U.S. rose by slightly less than expected in the month of March, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, although the report also showed a notable increase in business sales.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886558Tue, 15 May 2012 14:09:17 GMTActivity in the New York manufacturing sector has expanded at an accelerated rate in the month of May, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Tuesday, with the index of activity in the sector rising by much more than expected. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index jumped to 17.1 in May from 6.6 in April, with a positive reading indicating an increase in regional manufacturing activity.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886528Tue, 15 May 2012 13:40:29 GMTRetail sales in the U.S. saw a modest increase in the month of April, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, with the increase in sales matching economist estimates. The report showed that retail sales edged up by 0.1 percent in April following a revised 0.7 percent increase in March. Economists had expected sales to increase by 0.1 percent compared to the 0.8 percent growth originally reported for the previous month.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886510Tue, 15 May 2012 13:27:47 GMTInflation remained well under control in April, new government figures showed on Tuesday. After a couple months of relatively strong readings, consumer prices stagnated last month, returning to the tame levels seen late last year and the start of this year. The Department of Labor revealed that consumer prices were flat in April compared to the previous month. This matched the expectation of economists, who had predicted no change.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886461Tue, 15 May 2012 12:55:40 GMTActivity in the New York manufacturing sector has expanded at an accelerated rate in the month of May, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Tuesday, with the index of activity in the sector rising by much more than expected.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886451Tue, 15 May 2012 12:44:34 GMTRetail sales in the U.S. saw a modest increase in the month of April, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, with the increase in sales matching economist estimates.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886436Tue, 15 May 2012 12:38:38 GMTGreece raised slightly more than the target amount at a debt auction on Tuesday that saw the country's borrowing costs rise and demand for its debt fall amid the lingering political uncertainty.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886326Tue, 15 May 2012 11:24:54 GMTThe Eurozone economy narrowly avoided a recession in the first quarter, as robust German economic growth offset contractions by the Spanish and Italian economy. Gross domestic product for the 17-nation bloc remained flat compared to the previous quarter after shrinking 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, flash estimate from Eurostat showed Tuesday. The first quarter stagnation helped the bloc to avoid recession as two consecutive quarters of contraction indicates technical recession.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886269Tue, 15 May 2012 10:56:43 GMTConfidence among German investors fell more-than-expected in May as last week's election results in Greece and France triggered doubts over the European governments' ability to stick to the planned fiscal consolidation path and contain the debt crisis.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886242Tue, 15 May 2012 10:30:57 GMTGreece's economy contracted at a slower pace in the first quarter, preliminary figures released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority revealed Tuesday.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886186Tue, 15 May 2012 09:24:52 GMTGermany avoided slipping into recession in the first quarter of 2012 backed by exports and domestic consumption, while the French economy recorded zero growth due to falling investment. Despite the better-than-expected German figures, Eurozone is still expected to return to recession in the first quarter due to weakness elsewhere in the currency bloc. The Federal Statistical Office said Tuesday that the German gross domestic product grew 0.5 percent in the first three months of 2012.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886102Tue, 15 May 2012 08:09:28 GMTHungary's economy shrunk more-than-expected in the first quarter of the year, data released by the Central Statistical Office showed Tuesday.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=1886067Tue, 15 May 2012 07:41:23 GMT