Japan housing starts (February): -3.1% y/y (-6.8% expected) & construction orders

Japan data:

Housing starts for February: -3.1% y/y

• expected -6.8%,
• prior was -13.0%

0500GMT - Annualised Housing starts for February, 0.905m

• expected 0.877m
• prior was 0.864m

0500GMT - Construction orders +1.0% y/y

• prior was +27.5%