HONG KONG (dpa-AFX) - Japan is on Thursday scheduled to release February figures for imports, exports, trade balance and supermarket sales, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.
Imports are expected to rise 8.2 percent on year following the 9.9 percent increase in January. Exports are called lower by 6.5 percent after shedding 9.3 percent in the previous month. The trade balance is expected to show a deficit of 342.5 billion yen after showing a shortfall of 612.8 billion yen a month earlier. Supermarket sales fell an annual 1.2 percent in January.
Taiwan will provide February unemployment figures and the March discount rate. Unemployment is expected to come in at 4.2 percent, up barely from 4.19 percent in January. The rate is expected to hold steady at 1.875 percent.
Hong Kong will announce February's inflation rate and Q4 current account numbers. The inflation rate is expected to come in at 5.2 percent, down from 6.1 percent in January. The current account saw a surplus of $33.66 billion in the third quarter.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX