22.01.202621:33:00UTC+00Bank Of Japan Rate Decision On Tap For Friday

The Bank of Japan will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. The BoJ is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate steady at 0.75 percent.

Japan also will see December data for consumer prices; in November, overall inflation was up 0.4 percent on month and 2.9 percent on year, while core CPI rose an annual 3.0 percent. Also due are preliminary January results for the manufacturing, services and composite PMIs from Jibun Bank; in December, their scores were 50.0, 51.6 and 51.1, respectively.

New Zealand will release Q4 numbers for consumer prices, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 0.5 percent on quarter and 3.0 percent on year. Prices were up 1.0 percent on quarter and 3.0 percent on year in Q3.

Australia will see preliminary January results for the manufacturing, services and composite PMIs from S&P Global; in December, their scores were 51.6, 51.1 and 51.0, respectively.

Singapore will provide December data for consumer prices; in November, overall inflation was up 0.3 percent on month and 1.2 percent on year, while core CPI also rose an annual 1.2 percent.

Taiwan will see December numbers for industrial production; in November, production was up 16.42 percent on year.

Thailand is scheduled to release December data for imports, exports and trade balance sometime in the next week. In November, imports were up 17.6 percent and exports rose an annual 7.1 percent for a trade deficit of $2.730 billion.