TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan is scheduled to release a raft of data on Tuesday, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are December numbers for industrial production, unemployment, household spending, construction orders and housing starts. Industrial production is expected to rise 2.9 percent on month and fall 5.0 percent on year after shedding 2.7 percent on month and 4.2 percent on year in November. The unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 4.5 percent, while household spending is tipped to ease 0.1 percent on year after falling 3.2 percent in the previous month. Construction orders spiked an annual 21.0 percent in November, while housing starts fell 1.5 percent on year. South Korea will provide industrial output data for December, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 4.1 percent following the 5.6 percent gain in November. Singapore will provide final unemployment figures for the fourth quarter of 2011, with analysts expecting the rate to inch higher to 2.1 percent from the previously reported 2.0 percent. Thailand will release December numbers for current account, imports, exports and trade balance. The current account is expected to show a deficit of $1 billion following the $136 million shortfall in November. Imports are tipped to jump 23.8 percent on year after falling 1.9 percent in the previous month. Exports are called lower by 1.5 percent after plummeting 13.1 percent a month earlier. The trade balance is expected to reflect a deficit of $730 million following the $218 surplus in November. Taiwan will announce preliminary figures for Q4 gross domestic product, with analysts suggesting an increase of 2.8 percent on year following the 3.42 percent expansion in the previous three months. Taiwan also will release the results of its leading index for December; it had fallen 0.1 percent on month in November. Malaysia's central bank will conclude its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates. The bank is widely expected to keep rates on hold at 3.00 percent.
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