· HK: In light of an anticipated slowdown in economic growth to potentially 1-3 per cent in 2012 from 5 per cent in 2011, the Financial Secretary unveiled measures totaled almost HK$80bn to assuage people's hardships.
· TW: The ongoing recovery in real economic activity is modest rather than strong. Growth data will remain disappointing in 1Q.
· EZ: Eurozone has enjoyed some breathing space and averted an immediate crisis thanks to the ECB's offer of unlimited 3 year money to banks.
· US: The ADP jobs report fell sharply in January - but only back to the trend that consensus was expecting.
· Currencies: Currency wars return post-FOMC?
· Fixed Income:Ten-year Indonesian local-currency bond yields have fallen to fresh record lows below 6 per cent in January and are now approaching 5 per cent.
Key discussion centres on: