Japan Data On Tap For Thursday

(RTTNews) - Japan is scheduled to release a raft of data on Thursday, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are October numbers for industrial production, retail sales, construction orders and housing starts, as well as November results for its consumer confidence index.

Industrial output is expected to rise 0.8 percent on month, up from 0.5 percent in September. Retail sales are seen higher by an annual 5.9 percent, up from 5.8 percent in the previous month. Construction orders were down 3.0 percent on year in September.

Housing starts are tipped to slide 6.8 percent on year, steady from the September reading, while the consumer confidence index is expected to show a score of 35.6 - down from 35.7 in October.

Australia will release October data for building approvals and private sector credit, as well as Q3 numbers for capital expenditure. Approvals are expected to rise 1.4 percent on month and sink 7.1 percent on year after slipping 4.6 percent on month and 7.1 percent on year in September.

Private sector credit is seen higher by 0.4 percent on month, easing from 0.5 percent in September. Capex is expected to add 1.0 percent on quarter, down from 2.8 percent in the three months prior.

The Bank of Korea will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates; the bank is widely expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 3.50 percent.

South Korea also will provide October figures for industrial production and retail sales. In September, industrial production was up 1.8 percent on month and 3.0 percent on year, while retail sales rose 0.2 percent on month.

China will see November numbers for its manufacturing, non-manufacturing and composite PMIs; in October, their scores were 49.5, 50.6 and 50.7, respectively.

Hong Kong will provide October figures for retail sales; in September, sales were 13 13.0 percent on year.

Thailand will release October numbers for imports, exports, trade balance, current account and industrial production. In September, imports fell 7.9 percent on year and exports rose 1.0 percent for a trade surplus of $3.80 billion. The current account surplus was $3.40 billion and industrial output slumped an annual 6.06 percent.