New Zealand GDP Data Due On Thursday

(RTTNews) - New Zealand will on Thursday release Q4 figures for gross domestic product, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

GDP is expected to add 0.1 percent both on quarter and on year after slipping 0.3 percent on quarter and 0.6 percent on year in the previous three months.

Australia will provide February figures for unemployment; the jobless rate is expected to ease to 4.0 percent from 4.1 percent, with the addition of 40,200 jobs following the increase of 500 in January. The participation rate is seen steady at 66.8 percent.

Japan will see February results for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to add 2.2 percent on year after shedding 9.6 percent in January. Exports are called higher by an annual 5.3 percent, slowing from 11.9 percent in the previous month. The trade deficit is seen at 810.2 billion yen following the 1,758.3 billion yen shortfall a month earlier.

The central bank in Taiwan will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates; the bank is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate steady at 1.875 percent.

Hong Kong will release February data for consumer prices; in January, inflation was down 0.1 percent on month and up 1.7 percent on year.