Halister News

(Bloomberg) -- Yen weakens against dollar; Japan’s retail sales decreased 2.3% in February from month earlier, more than median forecast for 0.9% slide; jobless rate increased to 3.3%, more than the 3.2% median estimate; yen around 100 is desirable, former finance minister Hirohisa Fujii says

• Ringgit advances after S&P affirms Malaysia’s foreign- and local-currency ratings; ratings reflect strong external position and considerable monetary flexibility, S&P said in a statement after close of local market yesterday; 1MDB may get fined over $1.83b repatriation issue, Edge reports
• PBOC raises yuan reference rate; China pension fund’s annual investment return was 8.82% at the end of last year, Xinhua reports; regulators to step up scrutiny of fund-raising by companies seeking to enter new industries, Shanghai Securities News reports
• Won strengthens; South Korea’s consumer confidence rose to 100 in March from 98 in prior month
• U.S. Treasuries fall, with yield on 10-year bonds rising 1 bp to 1.893% before Fed Chair Yellen speaks
• Baht steady; Thailand’s manufacturing production index probably dropped 3.1% in February from year earlier after declining 3.3% in January, according to Bloomberg survey before data today
• Peso rises; Philippines to offer 135b pesos ($2.9b) of bills and bonds at second-quarter debt auctions, matching planned volume for the first three months of the year, Bureau of the Treasury says