Chinese Data Due On Thursday

(RTTNews) - China is scheduled to release a raft of data on Thursday, headlining a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are February figures for fixed asset investment, industrial production, retail sales, unemployment and property investment.

Fixed asset investment is expected to gain 6.0 percent on year, up from 5.9 percent in January. Industrial production is expected to add 5.5 percent, slowing from 6.2 percent in the previous month. Retail sales are tipped to advanced 8.1 percent, slowing from 9.0 percent a month earlier. In January, the jobless rate was 4.9 percent and property investment advanced an annual 9.5 percent.

Australia will see the March inflation forecast from the Melbourne Institute; in February, inflation was seen higher by 3.7 percent on year.

Hong Kong will provide Q4 data for industrial production; in the three months prior, industrial production added 1.2 percent on quarter and 0.1 percent on year.

Malaysia will release January numbers for industrial production, manufacturing production and unemployment. In December, industrial production added 3.4 percent on year, while manufacturing production gained 4.4 percent on year and the jobless rate was 3.3 percent.