After yesterday's BOJ announcement it isn't quite as exciting today. There isn't much that is likely to have too big an immediate impact on the forex (barring a big surprise result) - Japan trade balance and BOJ JGB purchases the most likely suspects.
2330 GMT - Australia - Westpac's Leading Index for December
- November was +0.1%, bringing the index to a strong above trend reading. This was especially encouraging following the solid result in October also and indicated some of the headwinds to growth evident earlier in the year having eased
Also at 2330 GMT, Charles Evans, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago speaks.
- He is not expected to speak on the economy nor policy and three is no Q&A, so it may be a fizzer.
2350 GMT - Japan - trade balance for December
- Trade balance: expected Y 535.0bn, prior was Y 112.2bn
- Trade balance (adjusted): expected Y 276.7bn, prior was Y 364.1bn
- Exports y/y: expected +10.0%, prior was +16.2%
- Imports y/y: expected +12.4%, prior was +17.2%
The November result was a surprise surplus (expectations were for a small deficit) and was a sixth consecutive month for a trade surplus. Exports had their twelfth straight month of growth.
I'll pop up a preview of the December trade stats separately.
0000 GMT - Australia - Skilled vacancies for December
0030 GMT - Japan - Nikkei / Markit flash manufacturing PMi for January
- prior 54.0
0110 GMT - Bank of Japan JGB purchasing operation
- 1 - 3, 3- 5, 5 - 10 year maturities
0200 GMT - New Zealand Credit Card Spending for December
- prior +0.8% m/m, +9.1% y/y
Much later in the day, due at 0500 GMT from Japan, leading and coincident indexes for nove, November, final.
