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May 14, 2026
Retail sales in the U.S. increased in April. Retail sales climbed by 0.5% in April after jumping by 1.6% in March. The increase in retail sales came despite a pullback in sales of motor vehicle and parts dealers, which fell by 0.4% in April after rising by 0.6% in March. Excluding auto sales, retail sales grew by 0.7% in April after surging by 1.9% in March.
Reflecting higher gas prices, sales at gas stations surged by 2.8% in April, after increasing by 13.7% in March. Sales by electronics and appliance stores and non-store retailers also saw notable growth, while sales by department stores, furniture and home furnishings stores, and clothing and accessories stores fell sharply.
Core retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gasoline, building materials, and food services, increased by 0.5% in April after climbing by 0.8% in March. 05/14/2026 - 10:36:00 (RTTNews) First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits rose in the week ended May 9th, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. Initial jobless claims climbed to 211,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's 199,000.
The Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average also crept up to 203,750, an increase of 750 from the previous week's average of 203,000. Continuing claims, a reading on the number of people receiving ongoing unemployment assistance, also rose by 24,000 to 1.782 million in the week ending on May .
In addition, non-farm payroll employment shot up by 115,000 jobs in April after surging by 185,000 jobs in March. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate came in at 4.3% in April, unchanged from. 05/14/2026 - 10:31:00 (RTTNews)
Euro traded at 1.1678 against USD at 9:00 AM PST
Spain's consumer price inflation moderated in April. Consumer price inflation slowed to 3.2% from 3.4% in March. Underlying inflation edged down to 2.8% from 2.9% the previous month. Meanwhile, E.U. harmonized inflation accelerated to 3.5% from 3.4% the previous month.
Monthly, consumer prices gained only 0.4%, compared to March's 1.2% increase. Similarly, the monthly increase in the harmonized index of consumer prices eased to 0.7% from 1.7% a month ago. 05/14/2026 - 07:20:00 (RTTNews)
British Pound traded at 1.3481 against USD at 9:00 AM PST
The U.K. economy grew at a stronger pace in the first quarter of the year, ahead of the escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that triggered supply disruptions and a surge in crude oil prices. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.6% sequentially, following the fourth quarter's 0.2% expansion. The service sector drove expansion of 0.8% growth, while construction output and industrial production grew 0.4% and 0.2%.
In March, GDP expanded by 0.3% after rising 0.4% in February. Industrial output dropped 0.2% in March from the previous month, but manufacturing advanced 1.2%. Mining and quarrying shrank 2.3%, and energy output fell 3.8%. In 2025, GDP advanced 1.4% compared to 1.0% growth in 2024. 05/14/2026 - 06:32:00 (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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