The Business News Week Ahead

Slight slowing looks to start the week as China's Caixin manufacturing PMI is expected to follow last week's CFLP report and post a dip. Big news from the US will also be coming out on Monday with ISM manufacturing, a report that has been struggling and where sub-50 territory is January's call. The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Tuesday and a rate cut, given only slow improvement in inflation and troubles with bushfires, would not be a complete shock. UK anecdotal data following December's election have been indicating strength though only limited improvement is expected for PMI construction, also released on Tuesday. German manufacturers' orders will be a Thursday highlight, but it may be the Reserve Bank of India that gets the most focus and how it handles an emerging spike in inflation. French and German industrial production data will also be released Thursday, and strength is not the expectation. Following on Friday is Japanese household spending which, in another report that has been struggling, has yet to post convincing numbers following the October tax hike. The week winds up with employment reports from Canada and the US, with expectations for both moderately favorable and a bounce in monthly wage growth a possible highlight for the latter.