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EUROPEAN ECONOMICS PREVIEW: ECB MONETARY POLICY DECISION DUE



The monetary policy announcement from the European Central Bank is due on Thursday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

The bank is expected to keep its policy rates and stimulus package unchanged at the rate-setting meeting of the year. The announcement is due at 7.45 am ET.

ECB President Christine Lagarde is set to hold the customary press conference at 8.30 am ET. At 2.45 am ET, the French statistical office Insee publishes business confidence survey results for April. The business confidence index is forecast to rise marginally to 99 from 98 in March.

At 3.00 am ET, consumer confidence survey data is due from Turkey.

At 4.00 am ET, Italy's Istat publishes industrial orders and turnover data for February. Sales had increased 2.5 percent on month in January.

At 6.00 am ET, the Confederation of British Industry releases Industrial Trends survey data. The order book balance is forecast to rise to 2 percent in April from -5 percent in March.

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MALAYSIA INFLATION RISES IN MARCH



Malaysia's consumer prices increased in March, data from the Department of Statistics showed on Friday.

The consumer price index grew 1.7 percent year-on-year in March, following a 0.1 percent rise in February. Economists had expected a 1.4 percent rise.

The annual growth was largely driven by the rise in prices of transport by 9.8 percent. Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages gained 1.5 percent.

Prices for miscellaneous goods and services increased 1.0 percent and alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose by 0.6 percent.

Prices for furnishings household equipment and routine household maintenance grew 0.9 percent. Prices for health, and recreation services and culture increased 0.5 percent, each.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.3 percent in March.

The core inflation was 0.7 percent in March.

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JAPAN LEADING, COINCIDENT INDEX DATA DUE ON MONDAY



Japan will on Monday release final February figures for its leading and coincident indexes, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Their previous readings were 98.5 and 90.3, respectively.

Singapore will provide March numbers for industrial production, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 2.2 percent on month and 3.0 percent on year. That follows the 1.6 percent monthly increase and the 16.4 percent annual spike in February.

Finally, the markets in New Zealand are closed on Monday for ANZAC Day and will reopen on Tuesday.

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EUROPEAN ECONOMICS PREVIEW: ITALY'S BUSINESS CONFIDENCE DATA DUE



Business and consumer confidence data from Italy is due on Tuesday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 3.30 am ET, Sweden's central bank is set to announce its interest rate decision. The bank is expected to hold its key rate at zero percent.

In the meantime, producer prices, foreign trade and unemployment figures are due from Statistics Sweden.

At 4.00 am ET, Italy's Istat releases business and consumer confidence survey results. The business confidence index is forecast to rise to 102.5 in April from 101.2 in March. The consumer sentiment index is seen at 102.0 versus 100.9 a month ago.

At 6.00 am ET, the Confederation of British Industry releases UK Distributive Trades survey results. The retail sales balance is seen at -5 percent in April versus -45 percent in March.

At 8.00 am ET, Hungary's central bank rate decision is due. Economists expect the bank to hold its key rate at 0.60 percent.

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AUSTRALIA Q1 INFLATION +0.6% ON QUARTER, +1.1% ON YEAR



Consumer prices in Australia were up 0.6 percent on quarter in the first quarter of 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.

That was shy of expectations for 0.9 percent, which would have been unchanged from the three months prior.

On a yearly basis, inflation gained 1.1 percent - also missing forecasts for 1.4 percent but still up from 0.9 percent in the previous three months.

The Reserve Bank of Australia's trimmed mean was up 0.3 percent on quarter and 1.1 percent on year - slowing from 0.4 percent on quarter and 1.2 percent on year in the previous quarter.

The RBA's weighted mean rose 0.4 percent on quarter and 1.3 percent on year, slowing from 0.5 percent on quarter and 1.4 percent on year in the previous three months.

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NEW ZEALAND HAS NZ$33 MILLION TRADE SURPLUS IN MARCH



New Zealand posted a merchandise trade surplus of NZ$33 million in March, Statistics New Zealand said on Thursday.

That follows the upwardly revised NZ$201 million surplus in February (originally NZ$181 million).

Exports came in at NZ$5.68 billion, up from the upwardly revised NZ$4.5 billion in the previous month (originally NZ$4.47 billion).

Imports were worth NZ$5.65 billion in March, up from the upwardly revised NZ$4.3 billion a month earlier (originally NZ$4.29 billion).

On a yearly basis, exports were down 2.3 percent and imports climbed 11.0 percent.

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AUSTRALIA PRIVATE SECTOR CREDIT RISES 0.4% ON MONTH IN MARCH



Private sector credit in Australia was up 0.4 percent on month in March, the Reserve Bank of Australia said on Friday - after gaining 0.2 percent in February.

On a yearly basis, private sector credit climbed 1.0 percent after rising 1.6 percent in the previous month.

Housing credit was up 0.5 percent on month and 4.1 percent on year, while personal credit added 0.2 percent on month but tumbled 10.7 percent on year and business credit rose 0.3 percent on month and fell 2.6 percent on year.

Broad money was flat on month and jumped 9.6 percent on year.

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MYANMAR MANUFACTURING PMI IMPROVES TO 33.0 IN APRIL - MARKIT



The manufacturing sector in Myanmar continued to contract in April, albeit at a slower pace, the latest survey from Markit Economics revealed on Monday with a manufacturing PMI score of 33.0.

That's up from 27.5 in March and it remains beneath the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.

All five of the PMI components had positive directional influences on the headline figure in April, but four (the exception being suppliers' delivery times) remained well inside negative territory. Output and new orders both fell at the fifth-fastest rates in the survey history, while stocks of purchases and employment contracted at the third- and fourth-quickest rates on record, respectively.

Although firms expect output to rise by April 2022 on balance, overall expectations were the weakest in over two years.

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AUSSIE APPRECIATES AFTER RBA DECISION



As expected, the Reserve Bank of Australia left benchmark lending rate and the 3-year Australian Government bond yield target unchanged at 10 basis points. Following the announcement, the aussie rose against its major rivals.

The aussie was trading at 84.62 against the yen, 1.5547 against the euro, 0.7743 against the greenback and 1.0782 against the kiwi around 12:35 am ET.

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AUSSIE APPRECIATES AFTER RBA DECISION



As expected, the Reserve Bank of Australia left benchmark lending rate and the 3-year Australian Government bond yield target unchanged at 10 basis points. Following the announcement, the aussie rose against its major rivals.

The aussie was trading at 84.62 against the yen, 1.5547 against the euro, 0.7743 against the greenback and 1.0782 against the kiwi around 12:35 am ET.

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HONG KONG PRIVATE SECTOR PMI EBBS IN APRIL - MARKIT



The private sector in Hong Kong continued to expand in April, albeit at a slower pace, the latest survey from Markit Economics showed on Wednesday with a services PMI score of 50.3.

That's down from 50.5 in March although it remains above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.

A reduced level of COVID-19 case numbers and the loosening of restrictions contributed to improving business conditions at the start of the second quarter of the year.

Total new orders had fallen for the same length of time but stabilized during April. While the situation regarding the pandemic had shown signs of improvement, a number of firms continued to be negatively impacted, preventing more pronounced expansions in output and new orders.

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NEW ZEALAND BUILDING PERMITS SURGE 17.9% IN MARCH



The total number of building permits issued in New Zealand spiked a seasonally adjusted 17.9 percent on month in March, Statistics New Zealand said on Thursday - coming in at 4,218.

That follows the 19.3 percent monthly contraction in February.

Permits were issued for 2,438 stand-alone houses, 1,243 townhouses, flats and units, 276 retirement village units and 261 apartments.

In the year to March, building permits climbed 9.1 percent at 41,028.

The annual value of non-residential building work consented was NZ$7.5 billion, up 5.3 percent from the March 2020 year.

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PHILIPPINES MARCH TRADE DEFICIT $2.412 BILLION



The Philippines posted a merchandise trade deficit of $2.412 billion in March, government data showed on Friday - following the $2.293 billion shortfall in February.

Exports surged 31.6 percent on year after slipping 2.3 percent in the previous month, while imports jumped an annual 16.6 percent after gaining 2.7 percent a month earlier.

The bureau also said that industrial production plummeted by 74.2 percent on year after sinking an upwardly revised 46.4 percent in February (originally down 46.5 percent).

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EUROPEAN ECONOMICS PREVIEW: UK HALIFAX HOUSE PRICE DATA DUE



Halifax house prices from the UK and investor confidence from euro area are due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 2.00 am ET, Statistics Norway is scheduled to release consumer and producer price figures. Inflation is forecast to fall to 3 percent in April from 3.1 percent in March. In the meantime, foreign trade and consumer prices from Denmark are due.

At 3.30 am ET, UK Halifax house price data is due for April. Prices had increased 6.5 percent annually in three months to March.

At 4.30 am ET, Eurozone Sentix investor confidence data is due. The investor sentiment index is forecast to rise moderately to 14.0 in May from 13.1 in April.

Half an hour later, Greece industrial production figures are due for March.

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EUROPEAN ECONOMICS PREVIEW: GERMANY ZEW ECONOMIC CONFIDENCE DATA DUE



Economic confidence survey data from Germany is due on Tuesday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 2.00 am ET, Destatis releases Germany's wholesale prices for April. Prices had increased 4.4 percent annually in March.

At 3.00 am ET, consumer price figures are due from the Czech Republic and Hungary. The Czech inflation is forecast to rise to 2.7 percent in April from 2.3 percent in March.

Hungary's inflation is seen at 5 percent in April versus 3.7 percent in March.

At 4.00 am ET, Italy's statistical office Istat is scheduled to release industrial production for March. Economists forecast output to grow 0.4 percent on month, following a 0.2 percent rise in February.

At 5.00 am ET, Germany's ZEW economic confidence survey data is due. The economic sentiment index is seen at 72 in May versus 70.7 in April.

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JAPAN LEADING INDEX DATA DUE ON WEDNESDAY



Japan will on Wednesday release preliminary March figures for its leading and coincident economic indexes, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Their previous readings were 98.7 and 89.9, respectively.

South Korea will see April numbers for unemployment; in March, the jobless rate was 3.9 percent.

Australia will release March data for building permits, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 17.4 percent on month following the 20.1 percent jump in February.

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NEW ZEALAND FOOD PRICES JUMP 1.1% ON MONTH IN APRIL



Food prices in New Zealand climbed an unadjusted 1.1 percent on month in April, Statistics New Zealand said on Thursday; seasonally adjusted, food prices rose 0.7 percent.

Individually, fruit and vegetable prices rose 4.8 percent (up 3.4 percent after seasonal adjustment); meat, poultry, and fish prices rose 0.1 percent; grocery food prices rose 1.0 percent (up 1.0 percent after seasonal adjustment); non-alcoholic beverage prices fell 1.0 percent; and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices rose 1.2 percent.

On a yearly basis, food prices gained 0.7 percent.

Individually, fruit and vegetable prices increased 6.0 percent; meat, poultry, and fish prices decreased 2.2 percent; grocery food prices decreased 1.3 percent; and non-alcoholic beverage prices decreased 3.4 percent.

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SOUTH KOREA EXPORT PRICES CLIMB 10.6% ON YEAR IN APRIL



Export prices in South Korea were up 10.6 percent on year in April, the Bank of Korea said on Friday - after rising 5.9 percent in the previous month.

Import prices spiked an annual 15.0 percent in April after climbing 9.0 percent a month earlier.

Individually, export prices for agricultural and marine products fell 4.2 percent on year and manufactured products jumped 10.7 percent.

Import prices for raw materials skyrocketed an annual 51.3 percent, while intermediate goods prices jumped 11.3 percent, capital goods fell 5.4 percent and consumer goods were down 4.2 percent.

On a monthly basis, export prices rose 2.2 percent and import prices fell 0.5 percent.

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SOUTH KOREA EXPORT PRICES CLIMB 10.6% ON YEAR IN APRIL



Export prices in South Korea were up 10.6 percent on year in April, the Bank of Korea said on Friday - after rising 5.9 percent in the previous month.

Import prices spiked an annual 15.0 percent in April after climbing 9.0 percent a month earlier.

Individually, export prices for agricultural and marine products fell 4.2 percent on year and manufactured products jumped 10.7 percent.

Import prices for raw materials skyrocketed an annual 51.3 percent, while intermediate goods prices jumped 11.3 percent, capital goods fell 5.4 percent and consumer goods were down 4.2 percent.

On a monthly basis, export prices rose 2.2 percent and import prices fell 0.5 percent.

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THAI GDP FALLS AT SLOWER PACE IN Q1



Thailand's economy contracted at a slower pace in the first quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Council reported Monday.

Gross domestic product fell 2.6 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, following a 4.2 percent decrease in the fourth quarter. Economists had forecast an annual decline of 3.3 percent.

On a quarterly basis, growth eased sharply to 0.2 percent from 1.1 percent in the preceding quarter. However, the rate was better than the economists' forecast of -0.8 percent.

On the expenditure-side, private final consumption expenditure dropped 0.5 percent annually, while government spending grew 2.1 percent. Gross fixed capital formation increased sharply by 7.3 percent.

Goods and services balance recorded a deficit of THB 30.1 billion, comprising a surplus of THB 224.3 billion in trade balance and a deficit of THB 254.4 billion in service balance.

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