China Inflation On Tap For Thursday

(RTTNews) - China will on Thursday release February figures for consumer and producer prices, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Consumer prices are expected to rise 1.8 percent on year, slowing from 2.5 percent in January. Producer prices are called higher by an annual 7.5 percent, up from 6.9 percent in the previous month.

Japan will provide January figures for labor cash earnings and February figures for money stock and machine tool orders.

Labor cash earnings are expected to add 0.3 percent on year after gaining 09.1 percent in December. The M2 money stock is tipped to rise 4.2 percent, up from 4.1 percent in January. The M3 money stock is pegged at 3.6 percent, up from 3.5 percent in the previous month. Tool orders advanced an annual 3.5 percent in January.

The Philippines will release January figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In December, imports were worth $7.43 billion and exports were at $4.87 billion for a trade deficit of $2.56 billion.