Japan Data On Tap For Friday

(RTTNews) - Japan is scheduled to release a batch of economic numbers on Friday, setting the pace for a busy day in Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are November numbers for unemployment, industrial production and retail sales, plus December data for Tokyo-area inflation.

The jobless rate is expected to hold steady at 2.4 percent, while the job-to-applicant ratio is tipped to rise to 1.63 from 1.62 in October. Industrial production is expected to fall 1.7 percent on month and add 0.4 percent on year after rising 2.9 percent on month and 4.2 percent on year in October.

Retail sales are predicted to sink 0.4 percent on month and climb 2.1 percent on year after gaining 1.2 percent on month and 3.5 percent on year in October. Overall Tokyo consumer prices are tipped to slow to 0.5 percent from 0.8 percent in November, while core CPI is expected to ease to 0.9 percent from 1.0 percent.

Thailand will release November numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. In October, imports were worth $20.43 billion and exports were at $21.68 billion for a trade surplus of $1.26 billion.

Singapore will see November figures for producer prices; in October, producer prices were up 1.5 percent on month and 12.4 percent on year.

The Philippines also will see November data for producer prices; in October, prices were down 0.3 percent on month and 0.6 percent on year.

South Korea will provide November numbers for industrial production and retail sales. In October, industrial production was up 1.0 percent on month and 10.7 percent on year, while retail sales were up 0.2 percent on month and 5.0 percent on year.