Australia Jobless Data Due On Thursday

(RTTNews) - Australia will on Thursday release December data for unemployment, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

The Australian economy is expected to have added 17,600 jobs last month following the addition of 61,500 in November. The participation rate is pegged at 67.1 percent, easing from 67.2 percent a month earlier, while the unemployment rate is seen steady at 3.9 percent.

Japan will provide November numbers for core machine orders and revised industrial production. Machine orders are expected to slip 0.8 percent on month and add 0.2 percent on year after rising 0.7 percent on month and falling 2.2 percent on year in October. Industrial production is tipped to slide 0.9 percent on month after climbing 1.3 percent in October.

Hong Kong will see December data for unemployment, with forecasts suggesting the jobless rate will hold steady at 2.9 percent.