US wholesale inventories, April MoM +0.5% vs +0.8% expected; prior +1.3%.

China A-share department-store and retail sector briefly rallied; Central Department Store hit the daily limit. Bubugao, Ningbo Zhongbai, Zhongbai Group, Yonghui Superstores and Hongqi Chain all advanced.

Germany's chemical industry association VCI said on Friday Q1 output, sales and prices fell and warned rising energy, raw-material and transport costs linked to Iran-related conflict are continuing to weigh on the sector, making a recovery in 2026 unlikely. The VCI said overall chemical-sector production, including pharmaceuticals, fell 6% YoY in Q1; producer prices dropped 1% and sales declined 5.4% YoY.