(RTTNews) - China will on Friday release March data for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In February, imports were up 3.5 percent on year and exports rose an annual 7.1 percent for a trade surplus of $125.16 billion.
The Bank of Korea will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates; the central bank is widely expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 3.50 percent.
Singapore will provide preliminary Q1 numbers for gross domestic product; in the three months prior, GDP was up 1.2 percent on quarter and 2.2 percent on year.
New Zealand will release March data for electronic card retail sales; in February, sales were down 1.8 percent on month and up 2.5 percent on year.
Japan will see final February figures for industrial production, with forecasts suggesting a 0.1 percent decline on month following the 6.7 percent drop in the previous month.
