Japan Data On Tap For Tuesday

(RTTNews) - Japan will on Tuesday release December data for unemployment, retail sales and household spending, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

The jobless rate is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent, while the job-to-applicant ratio is expected to rise to 1.57 from 1.56 in November. Household spending is predicted to advance and annual 1.5 percent, slowing from 1.7 percent a month earlier.

Retail sales are tipped to shed 0.2 percent on month and gain 2.1 percent on year following the 1.9 percent monthly increase and the 2.2 percent yearly jump in the previous month. Large retailer sales are expected to add 0.5 percent on year after rising 1.4 percent a month earlier.

Australia will see December results for the business confidence and conditions indexes from NAB; in November, their scores were +6 and +12, respectively.

Malaysia will provide December numbers for producer prices; in November, producer prices sank 0.6 percent on month and climbed 4.7 percent on year.