China Manufacturing PMI Data Due On Friday

(RTTNews) - China's National Bureau of Statistics will release February figures for its manufacturing, non-manufacturing and composite indexes, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In January, their scores were 49.2, 50.7 and 50.9, respectively.

Japan will see January data for unemployment, with the jobless rate (2.4 percent) and the jobs/applicant ratio (1.27) both expected to be unchanged from December.

South Korea will provide February numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to tumbled 11.7 percent on year after slipping 7.9 percent in January. Exports are called higher by an annual 1.4 percent, slowing from 18.0 percent in the previous month. The trade surplus is seen at $1.90 billion, up from $0.33 billion a month earlier.

Hong Kong will release January figures for retail sales; in December, sales were up 7.8 percent on year.

Indonesia will provide February figures for consumer prices, with overall inflation expected to add 0.2 percent on month and 2.58 percent on year after rising 0.04 percent on month and 2.57 percent on year in January. Core CPI is seen higher by an annual 1.73 percent, up from 1.68 percent a month earlier.

Thailand will see figures for imports, exports and trade balance; in the previous month, imports were down 3.1 percent on year and exports rose 4.7 percent for a trade surplus of $970 million.

Australia will release figures for commodity prices; in the previous month, prices were down 10.4 percent on year.

Several of the regional nations will see February results for their respective manufacturing PMIs from S&P Global, including Australia (Judo Bank), Indonesia, Japan (Jibun Bank), Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and China (Caixin).

Finally, the markets in South Korea are closed on Friday for Independence ay and will reopen on Monday.