PEKING (dpa-AFX) - South Korea is on Thursday scheduled to release preliminary numbers for gross domestic product for the fourth quarter of 2012, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.
Forecasts suggest an increase of 0.5 percent on quarter and 1.7 percent on year following the 0.1 percent quarterly increase and the 1.5 percent annual gain in the third quarter.
China will see the January results for the HSBC Flash Manufacturing PMI, with analysts expecting a score of 51.7 - up from 51.5 in December.
Japan will release December figures for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to rise 1.7 percent on year after adding 0.9 percent in November. Exports are tipped to contract an annual 4.2 percent after falling 4.1 percent in the previous month. The trade balance is expected to reflect a deficit of 522.8 billion after showing a shortfall of 954.8 billion a month earlier.
Hong Kong will produce December data for imports, exports and trade balance. In November, imports were at 351.84 billion Hong Kong dollars, while exports came in at 307.77 HKD for a trade deficit was 44.07 billion HKD.
Finally, the stock markets in Malaysia and Indonesia are closed on Thursday in honor of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Both bourses will re-open on Friday.
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