Australia Data On Tap For Thursday

(RTTNews) - Australia will release February figures for retail sales and trade balance, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Retail sales are expected to add 0.3 percent on month, slowing from the 1.2 percent jump in January. The trade balance is expected to show a surplus of A$850 million, down from A$1.433 billion in the previous month.

Australia also will see March results for the performance of service index from AiG; in February, the index saw a score of 55.2.

Japan will see March results for its services and composite PMIs from Markit Economics; in February, they were at 49.3 and 52.0, respectively.

China will see March results for its services PMI, as well as the HSBC services PMI. In February, they saw scores of 55.0 and 51.0, respectively.