2014.04.2418:30:00UTC+00Japan Inflation On Tap For Friday

Japan will on Friday release March numbers for consumer prices, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Overall nationwide CPI is expected to hold steady at 1.5 percent, while core inflation is tipped to rise to 1.4 percent from 1.3 percent in February.

Consumer prices in Tokyo - considered a leading indicator to the nationwide trend - are tipped to rise to 1.5 percent from 1.3 percent, with core CPI jumping to 2.8 percent from 1.0 percent.

Japan also will see February results for its all industry activity index, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 0.7 percent on month following the 1.0 percent gain in January.

The Philippines will provide February numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. In January, imports were worth $5.76 billion and exports were at $4.38 billion for a trade deficit of $1.38 billion.

Malaysia will see February data for unemployment; in January, the jobless rate was 3.1 percent and the participation rate was 67.8 percent.

Singapore will release March figures for industrial production; in February, output was up 6.2 percent on month and 12.8 percent on year.

Finally, the markets in Australia and New Zealand are closed on Friday for ANZAC Day; they will re-open on Monday.