British retail sales fell in July at the fastest rate since April 2022 and stores are bracing for worse times ahead, with many chains cutting orders placed with suppliers, an industry survey showed on Thursday.

Thailand's factory output shrank more than expected in June as sluggish global demand crimped exports amid an uncertain outlook for industry as political uncertainty after May elections drags on, a ministry official said on Thursday.

 British car production rose for the fifth consecutive month in June compared to last year as pandemic-induced chip shortages eased, an industry body said on Thursday.

China's industrial profits extended this year's double-digit pace of declines into a sixth month as waning demand took a toll on companies' profit margins, bolstering the case for more supportive policy to help the economy.

 The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday raised its 2023 global growth estimates slightly given resilient economic activity in the first quarter, but warned that persistent challenges were dampening the medium-term outlook.

Oil prices fell slightly on Wednesday as investors hunkered down before a widely-expected rate hike by the Federal Reserve, while signs of a potential build in U.S. inventories also weighed.