Australia Inflation Data Due On Wednesday

(RTTNews) - Australia will on Wednesday release Q4 numbers for consumer prices, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Inflation is expected to gain 0.7 percent on quarter and 2.0 percent on year after rising 0.6 percent on quarter and 1.8 percent on year in the three months prior.

The Reserve Bank of Australia's trimmed mean is expected to add 0.5 percent on quarter and 1.9 percent on year after gaining 0.4 percent on quarter and 1.8 percent on year in Q3.

The RBA's weighted median is also expected to add 0.5 percent on quarter and 1.9 percent on year after rising 0.3 percent on quarter and 1.9 percent on year in the third quarter.

Australia also will see December data for private sector credit, with forecasts calling for an increase of 0.5 percent on month and 5.2 percent on year. That follows the 0.5 percent monthly increase and the 5.4 percent yearly gain in November.

Japan will see preliminary December figures for industrial production, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 1.5 percent on month and 3.2 percent on year. That follows the 0.5 percent monthly increase and the 3.6 percent yearly gain in November.

Japan also will release December numbers for housing starts and January results for its consumer confidence index.

Housing starts are expected to climb 1.1 percent on year after easing 0.4 percent in November. The consumer confidence index is tipped to show a score of 44.9, up from, 44.7 in December.

China will see January results for its manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMIs. The manufacturing PMI is expected to come in with a score of 51.5, down from 51.6 in December. The non-manufacturing index is called steady at 55.0.

Thailand will provide December numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. In November, imports were worth $17.90 billion and exports were at $21.24 billion for a trade surplus of $3.33 billion.

Malaysia will release December data for producer prices; in November, producer prices were down 0.6 percent on month and up 4.7 percent on year.

South Korea will see December figures for industrial production and retail sales. In November, industrial output was up 0.2 percent on month and down 1.6 percent on year, while retail sales jumped 5.6 percent on month and 6.5 percent on year.

Finally, the markets in Malaysia are closed on Wednesday for Thaipusam and will re-open on Thursday.