- Australia’s unemployment rate increased to 5.3 percent in January, a gain of 0.1 percent from the previous month and 0.2 percent from January 2005. The country’s official reserve assets for January decreased by 740 million Australian dollars, or 1.3 percent, compared to the previous month.
- Preliminary figures show Hong Kong’s GDP grew 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter and increased 7.6 percent compared to Q4 2004. According to the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong, “Overall, GDP is expected to attain still solid growth of 4 to 5 percent in real terms this year, more commensurate with the trend growth at 3.9 percent in the past 10 years.”
- Hong Kong’s unemployment rate for the October to December period fell 0.1 percent to 5.2 percent, the lowest level in more than four years.
- Japan’s preliminary GDP for the fourth quarter increased 1.4 percent over the previous quarter and 4.2 percent compared to the same quarter in 2004. The country’s current account surplus decreased 5.1 percent in January compared to the same month in 2005, according to preliminary figures.
- Singapore’s unemployment rate for the fourth quarter dropped 0.8 percent to 2.5 percent compared to Q3, according to preliminary data. The country’s economy for the fourth quarter grew 8.7 percent from the previous quarter and increased 7.6 percent on Q4 2004.
- According to Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, “In view of the positive developments in the external economic environment and domestic demand, the 2006 GDP growth forecast has been raised from between 3 and 5 percent to between 4 and 6 percent.”
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