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Germany's investor confidence deteriorated at a faster-than-expected pace in April from March's three-year high, as the unresolved debt crisis in the euro area continued to weigh on sentiment, signaling that recovery in Europe's largest economy is losing momentum, latest data showed Tuesday.

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The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday trimmed its growth projections for the global economy as it saw a three-speed recovery evolving mainly owing to the diverging paths of the U.S. and the euro area. In the latest issue of its semi-annual World Economic Outlook, the Washington-based lender cut the global growth forecast for this year to 3.3 percent from 3.5 percent predicted in January.

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With unusually cold weather leading to a jump in utilities output, the Federal Reserve released a report on Tuesday showing a bigger than expected increase in U.S. industrial production in the month of March. The report showed that industrial production rose by 0.4 percent in March following an upwardly revised 1.1 percent increase in February.

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Singapore's non-oil exports continued to fall in March, but the rate of decline eased since February as demand for non-electronic products recovered, a report from the International Enterprise (IE) Singapore showed Wednesday. The non-oil domestic exports, or NODX, declined 4.8 percent year-on-year in March, after a 30.6 percent slump in February. Economists expected a 5.4 percent fall in NODX.

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Inflation in New Zealand was up 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the previous three months, Statistics New Zealand said on Wednesday.That was slightly below forecasts for an increase of 0.5 percent following the 0.2 percent contraction in the fourth quarter of 2012. There were increases for cigarettes and tobacco, food, rents and newly built houses, petrol, and prescription medicines.

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Sweden's central bank on Wednesday decided to delay an increase in its repo rate until the second half of 2014 as weak demand and a strong krona continued to stifle inflation, which is now well below the bank's 2 percent target. The benchmark repo rate was maintained at 1 percent as expected, but the Executive Board of the Riksbank said it is making a downward adjustment to its interest rate path.

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The call for more stimulus by Bank of England Governor Mervyn King was overruled by a majority of policymakers for a third month, over fears that further easing might exacerbate inflation expectations and prompt renewed weakness in the pound. Nonetheless, policymakers became more open to extension of asset purchases in the face of significant degree of slack in the economy and weak wage growth.

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The number of Britons claiming unemployment benefits decreased unexpectedly in March. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate increased in the three months ended February, and regular wages of U.K. employees recorded the weakest growth on record, signaling that the resilience of the labor market is waning.

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China's foreign direct investment increased for a second consecutive month in March in a sign that investor confidence in the world's second largest economy is gaining ground, as global financial conditions improve. Investment inflows increased 5.65 percent year-on-year to $12.4 billion in March, the Commerce Ministry said Thursday. In February, China attracted $8.2 billion in FDI.

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Japan posted a merchandise trade deficit of 364.421 billion yen in March, the Ministry of Finance said on Thursday - falling into the red for the eighth consecutive month. However, the headline figure beat forecasts for a shortfall of 522.2 billion yen. Exports added 1.1 percent on year to 6.271 trillion yen, beating forecasts for a gain of 0.2 percent after dipping 2.9 percent in the previous month.

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