Another slow session in Asia, with the USD generally a little easier. EUR/USD is up at 1.3620 compared to a North American close Monday around 1.3580.
Mixed news out of China. The country’s trade surplus fell to $12.92 bln in April from $18.56 bln in March, with exports falling a hefty 22.6% from a year earlier.
On the plus side January-April urban fixed investment climbed 30.5% in the four months to the end of April from a year earlier.
Some good news out of the UK. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey showed the house price balance at its highest since January 2008. A net 59.9% of correspondants saw price falls in February through April compared to 72.1% in the previous survey.
Elsewhere UK BRC retail sales monitor for April showed the strongest rate of growth in 3 years, with like for like sales up 4.6% on the year and total sales up 6.3%. The timing of Easter and warm weather are seen as having helped the numbers.
