Japan is on Friday scheduled to release December figures for inflation and retail sales, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic news.
Nationwide core CPI is expected to ease 0.1 percent, while core CPI for the Tokyo region - considered a leading indicator for the nationwide trend - is tipped to show -0.3 percent. Retail sales are expected to add 0.4 percent on month and 2.1 percent on year after shedding 2.0 percent on month and 2.2 percent on year in November.
Also, the Bank of Japan will release the minutes from its monetary policy meeting on December 20 and 21. Following the meeting, the bank announced that it was keeping interest rates unchanged at 0.10 percent.
Thailand will provide December figures for manufacturing production, with analysts expecting a decline of 30.0 percent on year following the 48.59 percent annual contraction in November.
Finally, the stock markets in China and Taiwan remain closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. Both bourses will re-open on Monday.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com