Currencies
Chicago PMI slides past forecasts in April
A key manufacturing sector gauge for the Chicago area fell more sharply than expected in April, plumbing its lowest level since the trough of the Great Financial Crisis in March 2009.
China's manufacturing sector shows surprise fall as exports collapse
China’s manufacturing sector eased in April, according to a widely-watched survey, as the Covid-19 pandemic caused global demand to slump.
ECB ready to increase emergency bond buying programme, use all tools
The European Central Bank kept the door open to ramping up its emergency bond purchase programme, all its policy tools in fact.
Initial weekly US jobless claims continue to soar
The US jobs market continued to deteriorate at a rapid pace during the last week for which data were available.
ECB eases rates on TLTROs, will support money markets
Rate-setters in the euro area unexpectedly eased their policy settings further at Thursday's meeting but did not expressly reiterate in its policy statement that its pandemic emergency bond purchase programme, known by the acronym PEPP, might be further increased in size.
AstraZeneca, Oxford University team up to develop Covid-19 vaccine
Pharma giant AstraZeneca said it had teamed up with the University of Oxford to develop and distribute a potential coronavirus vaccine with the first results from clinical trials set to arrive over the next few months.
Eurozone economy shrinks at record pace
The eurozone's economy shrank at a record pace of 3. 8% in the first quarter of 2020 – faster than expected – as the Covid-19 crisis started to take its toll.
German unemployment surges in April as Covid-19 takes its toll
German unemployment grew in April as the coronavirus outbreak took its toll, according to figures released by Destatis on Thursday.