Japan Data On Tap For Friday

(RTTNews) - Japan is scheduled to release a batch of data on Friday, headlining a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are July figures for unemployment, industrial production, retail sales, construction orders and housing starts, as well as August numbers for Tokyo inflation.

The jobless rate is expected to hold steady at 2.5 percent, while industrial output is seen higher by 3.6 percent on month after falling 4.2 percent in June. Sales are tipped to rise an annual 2.8 percent, moderating from 3.7 percent in the previous month.

Housing starts are expected to fade 1.1 percent on year after stumbling 6.7 percent in June, while construction orders are tipped to fall 12.4 percent on year after sinking 19.7 percent a month earlier. Overall and core Tokyo CPI are seen steady at 2.2 percent on year.

Australia will provide July data for private sector credit and retail sales. Credit is expected to add 0.5 percent on month, easing from 0.6 percent in June. Sales are also seen higher by 0.5 percent on month, steady from the June reading.

New Zealand will see July figures for building permits; in June, permits were down 13.8 percent on month.

South Korea will provide July numbers for industrial production and retail sales. Production is expected to slip 0.6 percent on month but rise 7.5 percent on year after adding 0.5 percent on month and 3/8 percent on year in June. Sales were up 1.0 percent in June.

Hong Kong will release July data for retail sales; in June, sales were down 9.7 percent on year.

Thailand will provide July figures for industrial production, imports, exports, trade balance and current account. In June, industrial production fell 1.71 percent on year, imports were down 0.1 percent on year, exports rose 0.3 percent, the trade surplus was $2.40 billion and the current account surplus was $2.00 billion.