Asia Session Highlights

Australia’s AiG Performance of Construction Index dropped for the ninth consecutive month in November as a sluggish economy and scarce access to lending kept consumers away from big ticket purchases. Spreading expectations that Australia will experience recession in 2009 have seen the RBA slash interest rates by a whopping 3% since early September. That said, Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens noted earlier this week that the “major easing in monetary policy…together with spending measures announced by the Government and a large fall in the Australian dollar” will support demand over the year ahead (albeit, Stevens said this as the RBA cut interest rates by another full percentage point). Still, traders continue to price 15-100 basis points in easing over the next 12 months.