The producer price index remained unchanged in March, as an unexpected drop in fuel prices offset increases in food and core prices, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Producer prices were unexpectedly flat in March as a drop in gasoline costs offset rising food prices, according to a government report on Thursday that also showed moderate underlying inflation pressures.
The World Bank cut its forecast for China's 2012 economic growth to 8.2 percent on Thursday and said a rebound might not begin before the third quarter of the year as slack foreign demand and a government-induced real estate slowdown restrain a recovery.
Japan's core machinery orders rose in February against all expectations, indicating that the country’s economy is in the path of recovery in spite of deflationary pressures, a strengthening currency and decreasing foreign demand.
The Bank of Japan will consider easing monetary policy at its next rate review on April 27 by boosting government bond purchases under its asset-buying program, sources familiar with the central bank's thinking said, as it battles to nudge consumer inflation toward its 1 percent target.
Japan's core machinery orders rose unexpectedly in February, reinforcing expectations that rebuilding in the earthquake-battered northeast will bolster corporate spending and economic recovery although risks loom from a resurgent yen and wobbly overseas economies.
Gold steadied on Tuesday, surrendering earlier gains as a rally sparked by expectations that a sluggish U.S. employment market could fuel further monetary easing ran out of steam in the face of a firming dollar and easing appetite for risk.
Oil prices at record levels in euro terms are threatening to rock the euro zone's economy more than might be expected, with those countries least capable of riding out a shock being the worst hit.
The Bank of Japan kept monetary policy steady as expected on Tuesday, holding off on any further steps to help meet its new inflation target and boost activity ahead of a more thorough assessment of the economy later this month.
BOJ policy-makers voted to keep the central bank's key rate within a range of zero to 0.1 percent and to maintain the size of its asset-buying program at 65 trillion yen.
The Bank of Japan kept monetary policy steady on Tuesday, holding fire until a more thorough assessment of the economy at another rate review in two weeks that may show further action is needed to nudge inflation up towards its 1 percent target.
Gold prices rose more than 1 percent on Monday, recovering from last week's hefty drop after disappointing U.S. jobs data revived hopes for fresh monetary easing and a spike in Chinese inflation boosted appetite for the metal.
Depending on where you look, Asia's inflation is either benign or stubbornly hot.
Futures on major US indices point to a lower opening Monday after US non-farm payrolls data showed that the world's biggest economy added fewer-than-expected jobs in March.
China's annual inflation rate jumped more than expected in March to 3.6 percent as food prices remained volatile, but economists believe price pressures will moderate over the rest of year, giving Beijing the flexibility to ease monetary policy to support growth.
Premier Wen Jiabao recently said China's consumer price inflation target for the year would be around 4 percent. On Friday, data on first-quarter gross domestic product should indicate if any change in monetary policy is needed.
China's annual inflation spiked unexpectedly in March to 3.6 percent driven by rising food prices, data showed on Monday, surprising investors who had bet on cooling price pressures to give Beijing room to ease monetary policy.
Sometimes a little bit of inflation is not such a bad thing. In the United States, prices starting to creep upward shows the deep wounds from the credit crisis are slowly healing and the U.S. economy is well on the road to recovery.
The head of Traxis Partners still believes U.S. stocks will head higher in coming months, but he's concerned about a near-term pullback as the European debt crisis intensifies and hopes for more Fed bond-buying dim.
Global food prices rose in March for a third successive month, driven by gains in grains and vegetable oils, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization said on Thursday, putting food inflation firmly back on the economic agenda.
Gold inched higher on Thursday after falling to a near three-month low the previous day as weaker prices tempted some buyers, but gains were capped by a stronger dollar and fading hopes for a fresh round of monetary stimulus in the United States.
The Bank of England left its monetary policy on hold on Thursday, judging that no addition to its current stimulus was yet necessary as the economy looks to be stumbling back to growth.
