China Inflation Data On Tap For Thursday

(RTTNews) - China will on Thursday release January data for consumer and producer prices, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Consumer prices are expected to add 0.4 percent on month and fall 0.5 percent on year after rising 0.1 percent on month and slipping 0.3 percent on year in December. Producer prices are tipped to sink 2.6 percent on year after dropping 2.7 percent in the previous month.

Japan will see December figures for current account and January data for bank lending and for the Eco Watchers current index. The current account is expected to show a surplus of 1.018 trillion yen, down from 1.926 trillion yen in November.

Overall bank lending is tipped to rise 3.2 percent on year, up from 3.1 percent in December. The Eco Watchers index is expected to see a score of 50.3, easing from 50.7 in December.

Australia will release December figures for building approvals, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 9.5 percent on month following the 1.6 percent increase in November.

Finally, the markets in Taiwan (Lunar New Year) and Indonesia (Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad) are closed on Thursday.