2019.03.1217:30:00UTC+00Japan Machine Order Data Due On Wednesday

Japan will on Wednesday release January figures for core machine orders, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Machine orders are predicted to fall 1.5 percent on month and 2.1 percent on year after easing 0.1 percent on month and rising 0.9 percent on year in December.

Japan also will see January numbers for its tertiary industry index and February figures for producer prices. The tertiary industry index is expected to hold steady at -0.3 percent. Producer prices are tipped to add 0.1 percent on month and 0.7 percent on year after sinking 0.6 percent on month and gaining 0.6 percent on year in January.

Australia will see March results for the consumer confidence index from Westpac; in February, the index jumped 4.3 percent to a score of 103.8.

New Zealand will release February numbers for food prices; in January, food prices were up 1.0 percent on month and 0.8 percent on year.