Friday, China is due to release its consumer and producer price indexes for September, and any upside surprise could lead to equity volatility.
Analysts have been watching for signs of a “Hard Landing” for the Chinese economy, following recent data showing growth activity slowing there.
Easing inflation would allow the central bank, which tightened policy earlier in the year to contain rising prices, to keep interest rates and banks’ reserve requirements on hold, or even to ease them.
The consumer inflation rate eased in August to 6.2% from 6.5% in July, and the cooling trend is expected to continue for the September numbers, with China’sState Information Center cited in a state-media report as forecasting 5.5% CPI inflation for whole of Y 2011.
Thursday, Australia will take center stage as the government announces September unemployment figures.
August’s result was unwelcome, as 9,700 jobs were lost, compared to expectations for a 10,000 gain, sending the unemployment rate to 5.3% from 5.1% in July.
Also Thursday, the Bank of Korea is due to give its interest-rate decision.
South Korea saw inflation ease in September, though the rate remained above the central bank’s target range.
Bank of Korea Gov. Kim Choong-soo had said back in August that there would be no rate increases until global markets showed some stability. However, inflation concerns and heavy recent falls for the South Korean won make tighter policy attractive.
Korea last hiked rates in June, raising them by a quarter point to 3.25%, but many economists see the central bank on hold for now.
As for other events on the Asian calendar, Japan is due to release its August balance-of-payments. For the latest updates on the stock market, visit Stock Market Today For the latest updates PRESS CTR + D or visit Stock Market news Today
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