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[IFX Gertrude]

SOUTH KOREA JOBLESS RATE FALLS IN FEBRUARY



South Korea's unemployment rate declined in February, data from Statistics Korea showed on Wednesday.

The jobless rate fell to a seasonally adjusted 2.7 percent in February from 3.6 percent in January. In the same month last year, the unemployment rate was 3.9 percent.

On an unadjusted basis, the unemployment rate declined to 3.4 percent in February from 4.1 percent in the previous month.

The number of unemployed decreased to 954,000 in February from 1.143 million in the preceding month. Compared to a year ago, the figure decreased by 399,000 persons.

The number of employed persons increased by 1.037 million year-on-year to 27.402 million in February.

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[IFX Gertrude]

SINGAPORE NON-OIL DOMESTIC EXPORTS SINK 2.8% IN FEBRUARY



The value of non-oil domestic exports in Singapore was down a seasonally adjusted 2.8 percent on month in February, Statistics Singapore said on Thursday/

That missed expectations for a decline of 0.3 percent following the 5.0 percent increase in January.

On a yearly basis, non-oil domestic exports climbed 9.5 percent - again missing forecasts for an increase or 15.7 percent and down from 17.6 percent in the previous month.

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[IFX Gertrude]

JAPAN CONSUMER PRICES JUMP 0.9% ON YEAR IN FEBRUARY



Consumer prices in Japan were up 0.9 percent on year in February, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday.

That exceeded forecasts for an increase of 0.7 percent and accelerated from 0.5 percent in January.

On a monthly basis, inflation added 0.4 percent following the flat reading in the previous month.

Core CPI, which excludes volatile food prices, rose 0.6 percent on year after gaining 0.2 percent a month earlier.

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[IFX Gertrude]

NEW ZEALAND HAS NZ$385 MILLION TRADE SHORTFALL IN FEBRUARY



Japan posted a seasonally adjusted merchandise trade deficit of NZ$385 million in February, Statistics New Zealand said on Monday. That follows the downwardly revised NZ$1,126 million deficit in January (originally a trade deficit of NZ$1.082 billion).

Exports were worth NZ$5.49 billion last month, up from the downwardly revised NZ$4.8 billion a month earlier (originally NZ$4.86 billion).

Imports were at NZ$5.88 billion, down from the downwardly revised NZ$5.92 billion in the previous month (originally NZ$5.94 billion).

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[IFX Gertrude]

JAPAN LEADING INDEX DATA DUE ON TUESDAY



Japan will on Tuesday release final January figures for its leading and coincident indexes, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

In December, the leading index had a score of 104.7, while the coincident was at 92.7.

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[IFX Gertrude]

SOUTH KOREA PRODUCER PRICES RISE 8.4% ON YEAR IN FEBRUARY



Producer prices in South Korea were up 8.4 percent on year in February, the Bank of Korea said on Wednesday - slowing from 8.9 percent in January.

Individually, prices for agricultural, forestry and marine products fell 6.6 percent on year, while manufacturing products jumped 14.0 percent, utilities climbed 12.0 percent and services rose 2.5 percent.

On a monthly basis, producer prices rose 0.4 percent, down from 1.1 percent in the previous month.

Individually, prices for agricultural, forestry and marine products fell 5.1 percent on month, while manufacturing products added 1.1 percent, utilities eased 0.1 percent and services were flat.

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[IFX Gertrude]

BOJ MINUTES: JAPAN ECONOMY CONTINUES TO RECOVER



Members of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Board said that Japan's economic recovery is continuing at a satisfactory pace in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, minutes from the bank's January 17-18 meeting revealed on Thursday.

Corporate profits and business sentiment continue to improve, the minutes showed, although employment and income remain weak.

To that end, the board said it finds it appropriate to maintain its current monetary easing and support stability in the financial markets.

At the meeting, the BoJ voted 8-1 to maintain its monetary policy stimulus unchanged at -0.1 percent on current accounts that financial institutions maintain at the central bank. It also lifted its inflation forecast for the next fiscal year, citing a rise in commodity prices.

The bank also said it will continue to purchase a necessary amount of Japanese government bonds without setting an upper limit so that 10-year JGB yields will remain at around zero percent.

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[IFX Gertrude]

TOKYO INFLATION DATA DUE ON FRIDAY



Japan will on Friday release March figures for consumer prices in the Tokyo region, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In February, overall inflation was up 1.0 percent on year and core CPI rose an annual 0.5 percent.

Singapore will release February numbers for industrial production, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 0.9 percent on month and an increase of 6.3 percent on year. That follows the 10.7 percent monthly drop and the 2.0 percent yearly gain in January.

Taiwan will see March results for its consumer confidence index; in February, the index score was 73.19.

China will provide final Q4 figures for current account; in the three months prior, the current account surplus was $73.6 billion.

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[IFX Gertrude]

HONG KONG TRADE DATA DUE ON MONDAY



Hong Kong will on Monday release February figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

In January, imports were up 9.6 percent on year and exports jumped an annual 18.4 percent, resulting in a HKD6.6 billion trade surplus.

Taiwan will see March results for its consumer confidence index; in February, the index score was 73.19.

The Philippines also will provide Q1 results for its consumer confidence index; the reading in the three months prior was -24.0.

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[IFX Gertrude]

AUSTRALIA RETAIL SALES JUMP 1.8% IN FEBRUARY



The total value of retail sales in Australia was up a seasonally adjusted 1.8 percent on month in February, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday - coming in at A$33.085 billion.

That beat expectations for an increase of 1.0 percent following the downwardly revised 1.6 percent increase in January (originally 1.8 percent).

Individually, sales were up for household goods, clothing, department stores and restaurants; sales were down for food retailing and other retailing.

On a yearly basis, retail sales climbed 9.1 percent.

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