Eurozone Industrial Production

The Euro advanced against rivals Friday when official data appeared to suggest the first-quarter industrial downturn may have been shallower than markets had previously thought and after Chinese economic figures surprised on the upside.

The industrial slowdown that drove the German economy to a standstill at the end of last year was shalllower than previously thought, according to official data released on Monday, although economists say growth is still likely to slow again this year. 

The Euro-to-Dollar rate fell Wednesday after official data revealed a steeper-than-anticipated slump in Eurozone industrial production took place in December, leading analysts to warn that estimates of GDP growth for some countries could be downgraded on Thursday.