The big test this week of the bearishness or otherwise among investors about China’s economy will come with the release of the March quarter GDP data, plus figures on industrial production, investment and retail sales.

Believe it or not, the Australian stockmarket outperformed most of the world’s major exchanges in last week’s slide, bar the Chinese market.

The coming holiday-shortened week will be dominated by China’s March quarter growth (see separate story), US first quarter earnings, the Reserve Bank minutes in Australia, the start of two weeks of almost continual holidays and the stockmarket sell off (see separate report).

Never mind the small, but significant point that the March jobs data from the ABS yesterday, and the surprise fall in unemployment contained in it, send conflicting stories about the health of the labour market and the wider economy.

Don’t focus on the weak 6.6% year on year fall in Chinese exports in March to $US170.11 billion.

Nasdaq’s blues have returned, dragging down the US market for a third day in a week.

The sell off on Wall Street isn’t resulting from investors deserting equities – it’s more a switching as investors move out of companies with stretched valuations (in the eyes of those investors) into more mainstream companies such as utilities, retailers, other consumer stables and even some financials.

Investors continue to drive activity in the Australian housing sector higher, according to the finance approvals data for February released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Another solid night on world markets – including new highs for the Aussie dollar and local stockmarket – as risk fears eased and tech, biotech and net stocks rebounded strongly for a second day on Wall Street.

On the face of it the latest business confidence and conditions survey from the National Australia Bank didn’t really add any greater understanding to the state of the economy.

Another day and the Aussie dollar broke out of its narrow pattern to surge past 93 US cents and remain there.

US insurer, Genworth Financial Inc. is to make the second attempt in two years to float off part of its Australian mortgage insurance business with the aim of raising around $A880 million.

Friday’s sell off on Wall Street shares extended to Asian and European markets overnight, and then returned to pull Wall Street lower for a third day by the time trading finished early today, Australian time.

The Aussie dollar continued to trade just under the 93 USc mark yesterday, while the local market fell sharply in early trading, as expected, but fought back to regain most of the losses.

Aussie shares are heading for a big fall when trading starts this morning on the ASX.

US first quarter earnings, Chinese trade and inflation data, Australian jobs and employment and a couple of important local results – there’s a mixed package ahead of us this week after last week’s data deluge.

The tech stock correction on Wall Street continued on Friday, while the controversy continued over Flash Boys, the Michael Lewis book about high frequency trading on the stockmarket (HFT).

Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens has once again thrown down the gauntlet to everyone in the country to have a real debate about taxes, growth and other economic issues.

There was nothing in yesterday’s data flow to change anyone’s thinking on the health and direction of the economy – still ambling along, growing below trend and not showing any signs of exuberance.

The Australian home building boom remains on track, as the Reserve Bank has been suggesting now for the past year.

The Aussie dollar was buffeted yesterday by buying pressure in the wake of the expected decision by the Reserve Bank to leave interest rates on hold – and the weak report on part of China’s huge manufacturing sector from HSBC Markit.

Mixed news from Asia in a mix of start of month and quarter reports from Japan, China, Indonesia, India, South Korea and Taiwan and Australia.

More evidence yesterday that the economy is starting to tick over a bit more quickly.

Most sharemarkets ended March on an up note in what some analysts said was a bout of window dressing (designed to lift prices and indexes and produce more fees for managers).

A mixed to surprisingly solid quarter for many commodities – ignoring the weakness in gold and copper’s woes – with agricultural products, such as the grains, sugar and coffee the standout performers.

Another big data week for Australia, and a number of other economies offshore with the monthly surveys of manufacturing and then services, a couple of central bank meetings, and to cap off the week, the all important US jobs report on Friday night – this time its for March.

It’s extremely rare that a book can unsettle Wall Street.

Another strong week for the Australian dollar, which hit a series of new four month highs in offshore trading on Friday night and early Saturday, our time.

While markets were mostly mixed to slightly stronger last week, the US Nasdaq market and its plethora of tech stocks fell sharply, especially biotechs.