Japan Household Spending Data Due On Friday

(RTTNews) - Japan will on Friday release December figures for household spending and its leading and coincident indexes, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Spending is expected to slip 0.5 percent on month but rise 0.5 percent on year after rising 0.4 percent on month and falling 0.4 percent on year in November. The leading index in November was down 1.6 percent on month and the coincident slipped 1.4 percent.

Malaysia will provide December numbers for industrial production; in November, production was up 3.6 percent on year.

Taiwan will release January figures for imports, exports, trade balance and inflation. In December, imports were up 30.4 percent on year and exports rose an annual 9.2 percent for a trade surplus of $6.08 billion. Consumer prices were up 0.15 percent on month and 2.1 percent on year.