Japan Industrial Production Data Due On Thursday

(RTTNews) - Japan will on Thursday release January numbers for industrial production, retail sales, construction orders and housing starts, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Industrial output is expected to drop 6.7 percent on month after rising 1.4 percent in December. Retail sales are tipped to improve by 2.3 percent, up from 3.1 percent in the previous month. Construction orders are expected to add 0.2 percent on year, easing from 0.4 percent a month earlier. Housing starts are seen lower by an annual 7.6 percent following the 4.0 percent drop in December.

Australia will provide January numbers for private sector credit and Q4 data for private new capital expenditure. Credit is called steady at 0.4 percent on month, while capex is tipped to rise 0.4 percent on quarter after rising 0.6 percent in the previous three months.

Thailand will release January figures for imports, exports, trade balance, current account and industrial production. In December, imports were down 1.7 percent on year and exports rose 3.0 percent for a trade surplus of $2.30 billion. The current account showed a surplus of $2.10 billion, while industrial production sank an annual 6.27 percent.

Taiwan will provide Q4 data for gross domestic product and January numbers for industrial production and unemployment. GDP is expected to rise 5.12 percent on year, up from 2.32 percent in the previous three months. In December, industrial output fell 3.99 percent on year and the jobless rate was 3.4 percent.