Public Post China – firm services At 52.7 in March, the S&P Global services PMI for China is firm, above the post-2012 series average. The write-up feels better still, reporting firms being "enthused".
Public Post Japan – strong services PMI Quick Take chart. Japan's services PMI shows re-acceleration, with firms reporting a "sustained rise" in jobs and inflationary pressures remaining 'marked'
Public Post China – is that it for easing? Quick Take Chart. PBC lending to the financial sector via the PSL facility fell in March. The decline was small, and might be temporary. But at the least, the PBC isn't doubling down.
Public Post Japan – inflation pressures remain broad Quick Take Chart. Details of the BOJ's Tankan don't show a lessening of inflation. Rather, price pressures are warming up in non-manufacturing, and re-accelerating in manufacturing.
Public Post Japan – Tankan suggests higher inflation Lower energy subsidies will push up headline inflation in Japan in the coming months. More interesting is that output prices in the BOJ's Tankan survey point to underlying inflation also heading higher.
Public Post Korea – inflation slowing Headline inflation ticked up in March, but underlying measures slowed. Prices are still rising by over the BOK's 2% target, but the trend slowdown will allow the central bank to give more attention to the weak economy.
Public Post Taiwan – PMI still below 50 Taiwan's mfg PMI improved in March, but remained below 50. That means mfg in a mfg-led economy has now been contracting for almost two years, and yet unemployment is at 20-year lows, and core inflation at 20-year highs.
