2018.10.1718:01:00UTC+00Australia Unemployment Data Due On Thursday

Australia will on Thursday release unemployment data for September, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

The jobless rate is expected to hold steady at 5.3 percent, with the addition of 15,000 jobs following the gain of 44,000 jobs in August. The participation rate is called steady at 65.7 percent.

Australia also will see Q3 results for the business confidence index from NAB; in the previous three months, the index score was +7.

Japan will provide September figures for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to jump 13.2 percent on year, slowing from 15.4 percent in August. Exports are called higher by an annual 2.3 percent, down from 6.6 percent in the previous month. The trade deficit is pegged at 43.3 billion yen following the 444.6 billion yen shortfall a month earlier.

The central bank in South 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 1.50 percent.