South korea: South Korea's industrial output lost ground in April from a month earlier, data showed Friday, with retail sales and facility investment sliding amid economic uncertainties stemming from tensions in the Middle East. Industrial production fell 0.6% last month from March.

According to Emirates News Agency, while citing data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, output in the mining and manufacturing sector, a key pillar of the economy, shed 0.7% from the previous month due to the sluggish performance of the automobile industry, whose output fell 10%. Production in the chip sector, on the other hand, rose 3.1%.

The wholesale and retail segment also lost 1.5%, although the information and telecommunications segment jumped 4.3%. Retail sales, a gauge of private spending, contracted 3.6% over the period. The ministry said facility investment slid 3.6% in April from a month earlier, due mainly to weaker investment in the aviation industry.