Asia week ahead: Philippine rate decision and Singapore, China, Taiwan data

This week's Asia news focuses on several key economic developments, including Philippine rate decision, Singapore data, China's industrial profits, and Taiwan's industrial production growth.

Firstly, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in the Philippines is expected to hike interest rates by 25 basis points. Despite recent moderation in headline inflation, underlying pressures remain elevated. Factors such as a recovery in Brent oil prices, vulnerability of food inflation to supply shocks, and recently announced wage increases keep the central bank on edge.

In Singapore, inflation is anticipated to accelerate in July. The primary driver is the electricity tariff adjustments, which are expected to extend to core inflation through higher prices for retail goods and services. This acceleration is likely to impact consumer spending and overall economic growth.

Turning to China, industrial profits are set for recovery. The July industrial profits data, released on Thursday, is expected to show a significant rebound in profits, particularly in sectors like computers, communications, and electronic equipment. This growth surge is largely attributed to the ongoing tech boom. Additionally, sectors such as coal mining and oil and gas extraction have recorded strong profits growth, driven by higher energy prices.

Finally, Taiwan's industrial production growth is expected to remain robust. Data released on Tuesday is anticipated to show another strong month of growth. This growth is primarily fueled by the computers, electronic, and optical products, as well as semiconductor subcategories. Taiwan is expected to see a year-on-year increase of 23.3%, which is broadly stable from the previous month's growth rate.