UK inflation was cooler than expected in December, potentially offering the Bank of England opportunity to cut interest rates when it next meets in February.
The Bank of England will cut interest rates four times this year to support a flat-lining economy, economists polled by Reuters said, but they added that risks to inflation are to the upside, suggesting policymakers may end up doing less.
Japan's annual wholesale inflation held steady at 3.8% in December on stubbornly high food costs, data showed on Thursday, highlighting persistent price pressures that may prod the central bank to raise interest rates next week.
Two-thirds of Japanese companies are experiencing a serious business impact from a shortage of workers, a Reuters survey showed on Thursday, as the country's population continues to shrink and age rapidly.
US consumer prices rose in line with expectations in December, while an underlying measure was slower than anticipated, according to a closely-watched gauge of inflation that could play into the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy plans.
U.S. consumer prices increased by the most in nine months in December amid higher costs for energy goods, pointing to still-elevated inflation that aligns with the Federal Reserve's projections for fewer interest rate cuts this year.