Australia Unemployment Data Due On Thursday

(RTTNews) - Australia will on Thursday release unemployment figures for December, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

The jobless rate is expected to hold steady at 5.7 percent, with the addition of 10,000 jobs expected following the gain of 39,100 in November. The participation rate is called steady at 64.6 percent.

Australia also will see the inflation forecast for January; in December, consumer prices were forecast to have risen 3.4 percent on year.

New Zealand will see January results for the consumer confidence index from ANZ; in December, the index slid 2.1 percent to a score of 124.5.

Japan will provide December numbers for Tokyo condominium sales; in November, sales skidded 22.7 percent on year.

Hong Kong will see December data for unemployment; in November, the jobless rate was 3.3 percent.

The central bank in Malaysia will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates. The bank is widely expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 3.00 percent.

The central bank in Indonesia will conclude its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates. The bank is widely expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 4.75 percent.