Australia Trade Data Due On Thursday

(RTTNews) - Australia will on Thursday release September figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a busy days for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In August, imports were down 0.4 percent on month and exports rose 4.0 percent for a trade surplus of A$9.640 billion.

Australia also will see September numbers for home loans, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 1.2 percent - slowing from 2.6 percent in the previous month.

Japan will provide October figures for monetary base, with forecasts calling for an increase of 5.9 percent on year - up from 5.6 percent in September.

South Korea will release October data for consumer prices, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 0.2 percent on month and 3.7 percent on year. That follows the 0.6 percent monthly increase and the 3.7 percent yearly gain in September.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates; the HKMA is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 5/75 percent.

The central bank in Malaysia will conclude its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates; the bank is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate steady at 3.00 percent.