Spanish Unemployment Rate 26.3% 27.2% 27.2%

FTSE100 starts modestly lower after a mixed bag of earnings

German Ifo Business Climate 106.2 106.3 105.9

GBP Prelim GDP q/q 0.6% 0.6% 0.3%

GBP Index of Services 3m/3m 0.8% 0.7% 0.8%

Britain's economy picks up speed in second quarter, still below peak

LONDON | Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:34am BST
(Reuters) - Britain's economy sped up between April and June on the back of stronger spending by consumers and businesses and giving a boost to the government less than two years before an election.

It came at the same time as a raft of UK company earnings reports showing growth picking up.

FTSE100 sharply lower midday on concerns over earnings

USD Core Durable Goods Orders m/m 0.0% 0.5% 0.5%

USD Unemployment Claims 343K 339K 334K

USD Durable Goods Orders m/m 4.2% 1.1% 3.7%

Pre-Market Trading

Stocks: Retreat on tap

Jul 25 6:48am:

U.S. stocks may retreat further from record highs Thursday as investors digest the latest batch of mixed earnings results. More..

Analysis - A year on, Draghi's 'save the euro' pledge remains untested

FRANKFURT | Thu Jul 25, 2013 2:25pm BST
(Reuters) - A year after Mario Draghi vowed to do "whatever it takes" to save the euro, the European Central Bank president can claim to have staved off disaster - but he may have to back up his words with action before long.

Were euro zone turmoil to return, especially with Spain or Italy on the receiving end, Draghi and the ECB will have to prove that his promise - made on July 26 last year - has substance, something he and the ECB have not yet had to do.

FTSE100 ends firmly lower as earnings news disappoints