Japan Inflation Holds Firm in November as BOJ Nears Key Rate Hike Decision 
Trump Defends Economic Record in North Carolina as Midterm Election Pressure Mounts 
Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Global Central Bank Decisions as Yen, Sterling and Euro React 
Asian Markets Rebound as Tech Rally Lifts Wall Street, Investors Brace for BOJ Rate Hike 
EU Approves €90 Billion Ukraine Aid as Frozen Russian Asset Plan Stalls 
BOJ Poised for Historic Rate Hike as Japan Signals Shift Toward Monetary Normalization 
Kevin Hassett Says Inflation Is Below Target, Backs Trump’s Call for Rate Cuts 
Yen Near Lows as Markets Await Bank of Japan Rate Decision, Euro Slips After ECB Signals Caution 
Malaysia November industrial production rose at a higher-than-expected pace, as manufacturing output and electricity generation streamed.
Industrial production jumped by 6.2 percent y/y in November, higher than market expectation of 5.5 percent and up from 4.2 percent in September.
The improvement was a broad-based with all key sectors (manufacturing, mining and electricity) clocking stronger pace of expansion. A turnaround in external demand, led by the stronger consumption growth in the US, recovery in oil prices, as well as a pick-up in domestic investment are some of the key factors that lifted industrial output, reported DBS Group Research.
The stronger industrial production data will improve the odds for the fourth quarter of 2016 GDP growth to beat the 4.1 percent average seen in the first three-quarters. As long as IPI continues to march north in December, we remain confident in our long-held GDP growth forecast of 4.2 percent for 2016.
