2020.05.1422:03:00UTC+00China Data On Tap For Friday

China is scheduled to release a raft of data on Friday, setting the pace for a busy day in Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are April numbers for retail sales, industrial production, fixed asset investment and unemployment.

Retail sales are expected to fall 7.0 percent on year after tumbling 15.8 percent in March. Industrial output is called higher by 1.5 percent after slipping 1.1 percent in the previous month. FAI is tipped to tumble an annual 10.0 percent after sinking 16.1 percent a month earlier. The jobless rate in March was 5.9 percent.

Indonesia will see March figures for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to plummet 12.7 percent on year after easing 0.7 percent in February. Exports are called lower by an annual 2.7 percent after dipping 0.2 percent in the previous month. The trade balance is expected to show a deficit of $0.2 billion following the $0.74 billion surplus in February.

Japan will release April data for producer prices, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 0.9 percent on month and 1.6 percent on year after slipping 0.9 percent on month and 0.4 percent on year in March.

The central bank in the Philippines will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates. The central bank is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate steady at 3.25 percent.

Hong Kong will see Q1 numbers for gross domestic product, with forecasts calling for a drop of 5.3 percent on quarter and 8.9 percent on year. That follows the 0.5 percent quarterly decline and the 3.0 percent yearly drop in the three months prior.