Retail sales in the US and Australia (which will update household consumption), Australian employment, central bank meeting minutes, more earnings, especially in Australia.
There’s also the mid-month surveys of business activity in a number of countries including Australia.
Australia also releases the jobs data for January on Thursday – economists are looking for a rise of 20,000 with unemployment dipping to 6.5%.
Preliminary January retail sales data are expected to show a 2% rise and February business surveys are expected to remain strong (both Friday).
The ABS will also release payroll jobs data while the minutes from the last RBA meeting (both Tuesday) will confirm the bank’s continuing relaxed policy stance.
But attention will be on the ASX December reporting season. 64 companies from the ASX 200 are down to report, led by BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue Metals, Coles, JB Hi Fi, Woodside and QBE (See separate story).
In the US, the focus will be on January retail sales (out Wednesday) would show a decent rebound from the falls in November and December.
The various February business conditions surveys are likely to remain strong helped by the decline in new coronavirus cases. The main surveys and the Philadelphia manufacturing conditions index are out on Friday.
Other US data this week includes industrial production, housing starts (Thursday) and existing home sales (Friday).
The minutes from the Fed’s last meeting (out Wednesday) will confirm the Fed’s dovish stance but will be watched for guidance as to its reaction function regarding tapering.
The December quarter earnings reporting season winds down with the major company to report, Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer (see separate story).
European business conditions surveys are out on Friday and are expected to show some improvement following the decline in new coronavirus cases.
Minutes of the ECB’s last meeting will also be released. Eurozone December GDP data will also be released.
The AMP’s Dr Oliver says Japan’s business surveys are also likely to improve reflecting the decline in new coronavirus cases there.
Dr Oliver says Japan’s December quarter GDP is expected to show a 2.5%qoq gain (Monday) and core CPI inflation (Friday) is expected to bounce to flat year on year from -0.4%.
