There are a few pieces of economic data due out today, notably Australian building approvals (February), retail Sales (February) and New Zealand Treasury's monthly report
- 2350GMT - Japan - Monetary base for March, prior was +29% y/y. Pumpy.
- 0100GMT - Australia - TD / MI monthly inflation gauge for March, prior was -0.2% m/m and +2.1% y/y
- (This monthly inflation gauge gets a decent amount of interest from the market, or at least it would if inflation in Australia was much of an issue at present, as 'official Australia Bureau of Statistics inflation data is only published once per quarter. This monthly measure thus fills in some info during those long 3-month gaps)
- 0130GMT - Australia - Retail Sales for February. Expected is +0.4% m/m, prior +0.3%
- 0130GMT - Australian building approvals (February). Expected +2.0% m/m and -9.0% y/y. Priors -7.5% m/m and -15.5% y/y)
- As data on the housing markets drips in the trend to a slowing in price growth, a slowing in building approvals, and a big pipeline of projects still to come to market continues.
- 0130GMT - Australia - ANZ Job Advertisements series for March, prior -1.2% m/m
- 0200GMT - NZ Treasury's 'Monthly Economic Indicators'
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ps. Already this morning from New Zealand we've had the Q1 Employment Index from McDermott Miller/Westpac:
- In at 104.5 (from 101.5 prior quarter)
Westpac comments:
- "workers becoming increasingly positive about current labour market conditions, but more cautiously optimistic about prospects moving forward"
- On earnings growth, "this measure only a little way north of the record low it reached in September last year
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Also ....
- China is out for a holiday today
- Australia and New Zealand changed clocks over the weekend, coming off daylight saving
