China Inflation On Tap For Thursday

(RTTNews) - China will on Thursday release December figures for consumer and producer prices, setting the pace for a modest day in Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Consumer prices are expected to come in at 2.7 percent on year, slowing from 3.0 percent in November. Producer prices are called lower by 1.3 percent on year after shedding 1.4 percent in the previous month.

The Bank of Korea will conclude its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates; the central bank is widely expected to keep its benchmark interest rate on hold at 2.50 percent.

Australia will provide November numbers for retail sales and building approvals. Retail sales are expected to have risen a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent on month after adding 0.5 percent in October. Building approvals are tipped to shed 3.0 percent on month but surge 20.1 percent on year after losing 1.8 percent on month and spiking 23.1 percent on year in the previous month.

Malaysia will release November numbers for industrial and manufacturing production. In October, industrial production was up 1/9 percent on month and 1.7 percent on year, while manufacturing output added 0.8 percent on month and 3.3 percent on year.