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May 18, 2026
Euro traded at 1.1646 against USD at 9:00 AM PST
Italy's foreign trade surplus stayed unchanged at the end of the first quarter. The trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 4.71 billion in March, the same as in the corresponding month last year. The surplus decreased from EUR 4.98 billion in February.
Exports climbed 7.4% annually in March, and imports were 8.0% higher. The overall yearly export growth was more than half attributable to increased metal sales, particularly to Switzerland and France, while import growth was primarily due to more purchases of metals, motor vehicles, and electronics.
Exports to E.U. countries grew 9.6%, and those to non-E.U. nations advanced 5.1%.
The seasonally adjusted trade surplus decreased to EUR 4.9 billion in March from EUR 5.1 billion in February. Both exports and imports increased by 4.1% and 4.8%, compared to the prior month. 05/18/2026 - 04:38:00 (RTTNews)
China's industrial production and retail sales logged weaker growth in April, and investment shrank, signaling an economic slowdown in the second quarter as the ongoing Middle East conflict strains supply chains and pushes energy prices higher.
Industrial production rose 4.1% year-on-year in April. Growth fell short of the rise of 6.0% and remained below March's increase of 5.7%.
Reflecting sluggish demand conditions, retail sales growth was subdued at 0.2%, marking the slowest rise since December 2022. This followed a 1.7% rise in March and was weaker than the anticipated growth of 2.0%.
From January to April, fixed asset investment dropped by 1.6% from the previous year. The decline largely reflected a 13.7% slump in property investment. Meanwhile, the urban unemployment rate declined to 5.2% in April from 5.4% in the previous month.
A strong first quarter and continued resilience in exports suggest that China remains on track to meet its growth targets. However, the sharper deterioration in April highlights downside risks and should be seen as a warning sign that additional stimulus might be needed to stabilize the domestic side of the economy. Beijing targets around 4.5-5% economic growth this year. 05/18/2026 - 07:49:00 (RTTNews)
This market update is prepared by Cathay Bank for informational purposes only and does not constitute any form of legal, tax or investment advice, nor should it be considered an assurance or guarantee of future exchange rate movements or trends. This information is provided without regard to the specific objectives, financial situations or needs of any recipient. Cathay Bank does not make any representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of this market update.
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