Economic Data
(IN) INDIA Q1 ADVANCE ANNUAL GDP GOVERNMENT ESTIMATE FOR FY12/13: 5.0% V 5.5%E V 6.2% V FY11/12
(AU) AUSTRALIA JAN EMPLOYMENT CHANGE M/M: 10.4K V 6.0KE; UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: 5.4% V 5.5%E; FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT CHANGE: -9.8K V -13.9K PRIOR; PART TIME EMPLOYMENT CHANGE: 20.2K V 10.0K PRIOR
(AU) AUSTRALIA JAN PARTICIPATION RATE: 65.0% V 65.1%E (lowest since Aug 2012)
(AU) AUSTRALIA Q4 NAB BUSINESS CONFIDENCE: -5 V -2 PRIOR (lowest since Q1 of 2009)
(AU) AUSTRALIA JAN AIG PERFORMANCE OF CONSTRUCTION INDEX: 36.2 V 38.8 PRIOR (3-month low)
(NZ) NEW ZEALAND Q4 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: 6.9% V 7.1%E; EMPLOYMENT CHANGE Q/Q: -1.0% V +0.4%E (biggest decline since Q2 of 2009); Y/Y: -1.4% V +0.2%E; PARTICIPATION RATE: 67.2% V 68.4%E (multi-year low)
(JP) JAPAN DEC PRELIMINARY LEADING INDEX CI: 93.4 V 92.1 PRIOR; COINCIDENT INDEX CI: 92.7 V 90.2 PRIOR (first rise in 9 months)
(JP) JAPAN JAN TOKYO AVERAGE OFFICE VACANCIES M/M: 8.6% V 8.7% PRIOR
(JP) JAPAN JAN OFFICIAL RESERVE ASSETS: $1.267T V $1.268T PRIOR
(JP) JAPAN DEC MACHINE ORDERS M/M: +2.8% V -0.8%E; Y/Y: -3.4% V -3.9%E; Govt raises assessment of machine orders
(TH) THAILAND JAN CONSUMER CONFIDENCE: 81.7 V 80.2 PRIOR
Markets Snapshot (as of 05:00 GMT)
Nikkei225 -1.1%
S&P/ASX +0.3%
Kospi -0.1%
Shanghai Composite -1.5%
Hang Seng -0.4%
Mar S&P500 -0.1% at 1,505
Apr gold flat at $1,680/oz
Mar Crude Oil +0.1% at $96.74/brl
Notes/Observations
NZD falls to 1-week low of $0.8350 as q/q employment change falls sharply; Drop in unemployment due to big drop labor participation rate.
AUD briefly testing below $1.03 - 2.5 month low - as similar drop in participation rate overshadows higher than expected employment change.
Nikkei225 pares outsized gains overnight as yen selling takes a pause.
PBoC injects record weekly liquidity in reverse repos going into Lunar New Year.
India GDP estimate for current FY misses consensus by 0.5pts and off by 1.2pts from prior year
Euro in narrow range above $1.35 ahead of ECB meeting.
Currencies/Fixed Income/Commodities
(CN) China PBoC to conduct CNY410B in 14-day reverse repos; Weekly total marks the largest reverse repo liquidity injection on record - financial press
(CN) PBoC sets yuan mid point at 6.2898 v 6.2317 prior close (weakest CNY setting since Dec 26th)
(JP) Japan Fin Min Aso: Only Germany is criticizing Japan on currency - financial press
(CN) China Iron and Steel Agency (CISA): China late-Jan crude steel production at 1.906M tons, -0.4% from mid-Jan - financial press
Speakers/Political/In the Papers
(CN) Some China cities may slow approval for new homes - Chinese press
(JP) Japan LDP seek exemptions in first TPP trade debate; majority of LDP ministers seek an 'immediate withdrawal' of TPP bid - Japanese press
(JP) Japan PM Abe: Reiterates BoJ is responsible for reaching 2% inflation target - addressing parliament
(KR) South Korea Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs: Jan cargo handling at local seaports rose 2.8% y/y to 1.84M TEUs - Korean press
(IE) Ireland Lower House approves Bill to liquidate former Anglo Irish Bank - financial press
Equities
Shimizu 1803.JP: Reports 9-month Net ¥4.9B v ¥3.0B y/y, Op Profit ¥6.5B v ¥12.9B y/y, Rev ¥950.2B v ¥891.1B y/y
Konami 9766.JP: Reports 9-month Net ¥8.8B v ¥17.1B y/y, Op Profit ¥14.1B v ¥30.9B y/y, Rev ¥160.2B v ¥194.5B y/y; Guides lower FY12/13 Net ¥13.5B, Op Profit ¥23.0B, Rev ¥228.0B (guided Net ¥23.1B, Op Profit ¥41.1B, Rev ¥270B prior)
SNE: May release PS4 later this year prices around $430 - Japan press
KDDI 9433.JP: To hire additional 1,500 workers by the end of FY15 to boost marketing of smartphone-related services to small and midsize companies - Nikkei News
NTT DoCoMo9437.JP: Lost 12.9K net subscribers in Jan v gain 235.1K prior
TM: Aqua hybrid model said to have topped Japan vehicle sales for 4th consecutive month with 22.5K units sold - Nikkei News
NAB.AU: Reports Q1 Net A$1.26B v A$1.60B y/y
TLS.AU: Reports H1 EBIT A$2.84B v A$2.56B y/y; Rev A$12.71B v A$12.50B y/y; Affirms FY guidance for total income in "low single digits"
Whitehaven WHC.AU: Govt said to have extended deadline for approving Maules Creek project to April 30 - AFR
Mirvac MGR.AU: Forced to write down Queensland and Western Australian residential projects by A$273M - SMH
VAH.AU: Australia regulator (ACCC): Virgin acquisition of Tiger may raise competition concerns - financial press
Lenovo 992.HK: CEO said to have reduced his long position to 8.88% stake; Sold 7.9M shares between in Feb 1st and 4th - HK press
Hang Lung 101.HK: Chairman: Property market could be oversupplied as the government considers multiple measures to boost housing amid global uncertainties - HK press
AKAM: Reports Q4 $0.54 v $0.50e, R$378M v $381Me; authorizes $150M extension to buyback program; -15.7% afterhours
GMCR: Reports Q1 $0.76 v $0.65e, R$1.34B v $1.33Be; -7.0% afterhours
NWSA: Reports Q2 $0.44 (adj) v $0.42e, R$9.43B v $9.26Be; -4.3% afterhours
ZUMZ: Reports JAN SSS +2.6% v -3.1%; Q4 SSS -1.0%; FY12 SSS +5.0%; +5.2% afterhours
DV: Reports Q2 $0.87 adj v $0.56e, R$505.2M v $497Me; +14.0% afterhours