The week ahead is looking plenty eventful. We are expecting to get key growth, inflation and trade figures for China. Meanwhile, central banks around Asia are also set to meet - and make decisions on rate cuts. Let’s round it all up, with a preview of the week ahead.

A new report card from China - with data ranging from trade to commodity output due out. China’s trade balance will be especially important, and analysts expect it to narrow to about 8-point-8 billion dollars. That’s as the country’s demand for imports grows at a faster rate than that of exports -- a trend that could signal slower appreciation of the yuan, says veteran investor Jim Rogers.

Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings said: "I know China’s balance of trade, as we were just discussing, is not going to be nearly robust in 2012 as it has been in the past, so you know their balance of trade will look worse or maybe even look bad at times in 2012. so I wouldn’t think the RMB will go up so much. I’m not selling it, because somewhere along the line, China is eventually going to open up its currency and make it completely convertible. At that time, well, it may go down for a while at first, but then it’s go up and go up a lot."

Elsewhere in Asia, both Indonesia and South Korea will decide on interest rates, but markets expect neither to cut rates yet, though they are shifting focus from fighting inflation to boosting growth.

And Australia reports consumer sentiment. Domestic confidence plunged last month despite recent cuts in interest rates. A sour mood could upend domestic spending, putting more pressure on the Aussie dollar.

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)