U.S. business inventories rose less than expected in March as robust sales growth at retailers depleted stocks there.

The dollar fell in tandem with U.S. Treasury yields on Friday after downside surprises on U.S. economic data this week cemented bets of more Federal Reserve rate cuts this year.

Five American small businesses asked a U.S. court on Tuesday to halt President Donald Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariffs, arguing that he overstepped his powers by declaring a national emergency to impose across-the-board taxes on imports from nations that sell more to the United States than they buy.

The easing of trade tensions between the United States and China is a step in the right direction and helps reduce European fears of being flooded with Chinese goods redirected from the U.S. market, European Economic Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said.

 U.S. consumer prices rose at a slower than anticipated rate in April, but remained slightly above the Federal Reserve’s target level, as economists assessed the impact of rapidly-evolving U.S. trade policies.

Asian stock markets were mixed on Wednesday, with Hong Kong and South Korea climbing, mirroring overnight tech gains on Wall Street, while Japan slipped amid a stronger yen.