Australia Wage Cost Index On Tap For Wednesday

(RTTNews) - Australia will on Wednesday see Q4 numbers for wage costs, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Wages are expected to have risen 0.5 percent on quarter and 1.9 percent on year after gaining 0.4 percent on quarter and 1.9 percent on year in the previous three months.

Australia also will see Q4 numbers for construction work done, plus January data for skilled vacancies and the Westpac leading index.

Construction work is tipped to have risen 0.5 percent after sliding 4.9 percent in Q3. Vacancies were up 0.2 percent in December, while the leading index added 0.4 percent.

New Zealand will provide January numbers for credit card spending; in December, spending was up 3.1 percent on month and 8.5 percent on year.

Malaysia will release January figures for consumer prices; in December, inflation was flat on month and up 1.8 percent on year.

Hong Kong will provide Q4 data for gross domestic product; in the third quarter, GDP expanded 0.6 percent on quarter and 1.9 percent on year.