Australia Unemployment Data Due On Thursday

(RTTNews) - Australia will on Thursday release February figures for unemployment, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

The jobless rate is expected to ease to 6.3 percent from 6.4 percent in January, with the addition of 30,000 jobs following the gain of 29,100 jobs in the previous month. The participation rate is pegged at 66.2 percent, up from 66.1 percent a month earlier.

New Zealand will provide Q4 numbers for gross domestic product, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 0.1 percent on quarter and 0.5 percent on year following the 14.0 percent quarterly spike and the 0.4 percent yearly gain in the three months prior.

The de facto central bank in Taiwan will conclude its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates. The bank is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate steady at 1.125 percent.

The central bank in Indonesia will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates. The bank is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 3.50 percent, while the deposit facility rate (2.75 percent) and lending facility rate (4.25 percent) also are called unchanged.