China in focus, Theresa May due to speak

May 15, 2017

A number of announcements set for publication later today and tomorrow morning, while the UK PM is due to participate in a live Q & A session.

China leads the announcements for markets today, with a few vital pieces of data set for release. The most crucial is the Industrial Production figure. As the world’s second largest economy, China’s growth remains vital to the global economy. China’s industrial sector makes up a huge part of the economy. As such, they require the importation of vast amounts of raw materials to keep up with industrial demand. This is important for other national economies, particularly those who export these raw materials, such as Australia. This figure will help give markets an indication of the strength of the industrial sector. As global economies continue to struggle with debt and low growth, China remains one ‘leading lights’ in the global economic recovery. Other data set for release by China includes: Fixed Asset Investment and Retail Sales.

In the early hours of tomorrow morning, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, will be involved in a live Q & A session with people from the general public. This has the potential to be important as the PM may be in a position to give more insight into her Brexit negotiations and what she hopes to achieve for the UK. It will also be a good opportunity to gauge her leadership style and how she handles objections from the general public.

Other data set for publication from around the world includes: Japanese Machine Tool Orders, Swiss PPI, US Empire State Manufacturing Index, NAHB Housing Market Index and TIC Long-Term Purchases.