Japan GDP On Tap For Thursday

(RTTNews) - Japan will on Thursday release preliminary Q1 numbers for gross domestic product, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

GDP is expected to have added 1.0 percent on quarter and 4.2 percent on year after gaining 0.2 percent on quarter and 0.7 percent on year in the fourth quarter. Nominal GDP is tipped to rise 1.0 percent on quarter after adding 0.3 percent in the previous three months.

Japan also will see April results for its consumer confidence index; in March, it saw a score of 37.5.

New Zealand will see April results for the Business NZ Performance of Manufacturing Index; in March, the index saw a score of 58.4.

Australia will provide April figures for new motor vehicle sales, plus an inflation forecast for May. In March, vehicle sales were down 0.3 percent on month and 2.8 percent on year. In April, the inflation forecast was 2.4 percent.

Singapore will release March data for retail sales; in February, sales were up 3.0 percent on month and down 9.5 percent on year.

Finally, the markets in Indonesia will be closed on Thursday in observance of the birth of Buddha. They will re-open on Friday.