Italy's business confidence index dropped to 94.1 points in May from the revised 95.1 points in April, according to data from statistics agency Istat published Thursday.
For the manufacturing sector, the confidence index is steady at 87.9 points. The consensus estimate stood at 87.5 points.
Meanwhile, the Italian consumer confidence indicator was at 93.4 points, against the prior 90.8 points and the expected 90.1 points.
Spain's seasonally and calendar-adjusted retail sales declined 1.5% month over month in April, compared with the 1.2% growth in the previous month, the National Statistics Institute said Thursday.On a yearly basis, retail sales were 0.8% higher, compared with the 4.1% growth earlier.
Japan's major exports to the Middle East plunged in April amid the ongoing war in the region, according to trade statistics released by country's finance ministry on Thursday.Major exports from the country, including cars and steel pipes, to the Middle East region, fell by 55.8% in value year on year to 138.695 trillion yen in April, affected by the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.The export of motor vehicles fell sharply by 90.8%, including a 90.4% decline in cars and 92.2% slip in the export of trucks and buses to the war-effected region.According to a Nikkei Asia report, Japan's overseas shipments of new passenger cars to the Middle East account for 13% of total exports by value, and 27% of total truck exports and 22% of buses.Imports to the Middle East region also fell 56.8% to 469.224 trillion yen in April.Japan's overall exports by value rose 14.8% from a year earlier in April, while imports grew 9.8%.
French industrial producer prices for the home market rose 2.1% year over year in April, following a revised zero growth in March, according to data from Insee published Thursday.On a monthly basis, industrial producer prices were 2.1% lower, against a revised 1.9% increase earlier.