RBA Minutes On Tap For Tuesday

(RTTNews) - The Reserve Bank of Australia will on Tuesday release the minutes from its September 24 monetary policy meeting, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

At the meeting, the central bank left its interest rate unchanged at a 12-year high of 4.35 percent, as widely expected. The interest rate paid on Exchange Settlement balances was kept unchanged at 4.25 percent.

Australia also will see September results for the surveys of business confidence and conditions; in August, their scores were -4 and +3, respectively.

Japan will provide August numbers for household spending and current account, as well as September results for the eco watchers survey of current conditions.

Household spending is expected to rise 0.5 percent on month and sink 2.6 percent on year after falling 1.7 percent on month and rising 0.1 percent on year in July. The current account is tipped to show a surplus of 2.921 trillion yen, down from 3.193 trillion in the previous month. The eco watchers score in August was 49.0.

South Korea will see August data for its current account; in July, the current account surplus was $9.13 billion.

Taiwan will release September figures for imports, exports, trade balance and consumer prices. In August, imports were up 11/8 percent on year and exports rose an annual 16.8 percent for a trade surplus of $11.49 billion. Overall inflation was up 0.4 percent on month and 2.36 percent on year.