Dovish Central Bankers, ECB Eyes Slowdown, U.S. Growth: Eco Day

(Bloomberg) -- Welcome to Monday, Asia. Here’s the latest news and analysis from Bloomberg Economics to get your day started:

• Central bankers get a chance this week to flesh out their increasingly dovish outlooks for monetary policy as economic data continue to disappoint
• Europe’s slowdown is “significant” and the ECB could change its guidance, Governing Council member Francois Villeroy de Galhau said
• Reports on the U.S. economy offered diverging signals for the current picture, though behind the numbers there were signs of a more upbeat outlook. Fed Vice Chairman Richard Clarida watches inflation expectations closely -- and one of his favorite indicators just headed south
• Bill Gates is concerned about the U.S. budget deficit and says it’d be appropriate for wealthy people to pay much higher taxes
• The Bank of Japan’s taper isn’t proving as positive for the yen as market bulls had hoped, this chart shows
• Some of Singapore’s most desirable houses come with a catch: only locals can own them. They’re also bucking the city-state’s property slowdown. Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will aim to strike a delicate balance in today’s budget
• The U.S.-China trade war and slowing retail sales dragged Hong Kong’s economic growth down at the end of last year, with exports showing almost “zero growth.” Over in Israel, the economy expanded in late 2018 at its fastest pace since the first quarter
• Political tension has emerged as a threat to the domestic economic drivers Thailand is relying on; meantime, the baht is still looking to repeat its performance as one of Asia’s best currencies last year
• Two of Asia’s biggest emerging economies will soon elect leaders, and wagers are already being placed on their currencies. The consensus: Indonesia’s rupiah will trump India’s rupee
• Meantime, Bank Indonesia is weighing the use of sukuk issued by other countries in its monetary operations, while presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto pledged to halt imports of food crops if elected
• The spacious entrance to Hildigunnur Haraldsdottir’s building in downtown Reykjavik is paved with marble from Prague and decorated with stained glass artwork. But no one wants to buy it

To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Heath in Sydney at mheath1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nasreen Seria at nseria@bloomberg.net, Chris Bourke

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