US President Donald Trump warned Iran against further retaliation after it attacked Qatar's Ras Laffan energy complex, causing "extensive damage" but no injuries.

Japan Capacity Utilization: 2.9% (January) vs 1.3%

Japan Industrial Production (YoY): 0.7% (January) vs previous 2.3%

Japan Industrial Production (MoM) above forecasts (2.2%) in January: Actual (4.3%)

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) warned that conflict in the Middle East could trigger a shock that sends the world economy into a tailspin, the Guardian reported on Thursday.

Japan BoJ Interest Rate Decision in line with forecasts (0.75%)

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price loses ground after two days of gains, trading around $97.80 per barrel during the Asian hours on Thursday.

Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Thursday that the government's stance to leave monetary policy decisions up to the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has not changed even after the Iran war.

Australia Part-Time Employment increased to 79.4K in February from previous -32.7K

Australia’s Unemployment Rate rose to 4.3% in February from 4.1% in January, according to the official data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday. The figure came in above the market consensus of 4.1%.

Australia Full-Time Employment down to -30.5K in February from previous 50.5K

Australia Employment Change s.a. above expectations (20.3K) in February: Actual (48.9K)

Australia Unemployment Rate s.a. came in at 4.3%, above forecasts (4.1%) in February

Australia Participation Rate above expectations (66.7%) in February: Actual (66.9%)

US President Donald Trump's administration plans to deploy thousands of US troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East, as the US military prepares for possible next steps in its campaign against Iran, Reuters reported on Thursday. 

Japan Machinery Orders (MoM) above expectations (-9.6%) in January: Actual (-5.5%)

Japan Foreign Investment in Japan Stocks declined to ¥-1B in March 13 from previous ¥385.5B

Japan Machinery Orders (YoY) registered at 13.7% above expectations (10.5%) in January

MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Michael Wan warns that prolonged conflict in Iran and a sustained Strait of Hormuz closure could push USD/VND above 27,000 in 2026, versus a base case of 26,300 by March and 26,600 by December.

Iran and Israel traded strikes on key energy facilities in the Middle East, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

UOB economists Enrico Tanuwidjaja and Vincentius Ming Shen note that Bank Indonesia (BI) kept its policy rate at 4.75% in March while shifting to a more hawkish stance.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.75% at the end of its monetary policy meeting on Thursday, adopting a cautious stance as the Iran war-related spike in energy prices adds uncertainty to the economic and inflation outlook.

New Zealand's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 0.2% QoQ in the fourth quarter (Q4), compared with a 0.9% expansion (revised from 1.1%) in the third quarter, Statistics New Zealand showed on Thursday. This reading came in weaker than the expectation of 0.4%.

BNY’s EMEA Macro Strategist Geoff Yu observes that EM APAC remains the best-held equity region globally despite sharp swings and sector-specific risks such as semiconductors’ helium exposure.

According to MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Michael Wan, Philippine authorities signalled that rate hikes may be considered if Oil price increases and disruptions linked to the Iran war persist.

New Zealand Gross Domestic Product (YoY) below expectations (1.7%) in 4Q: Actual (1.3%)

New Zealand Gross Domestic Product (QoQ) came in at 0.2% below forecasts (0.4%) in 4Q

UOB economists Enrico Tanuwidjaja and Vincentius Ming Shen highlight that Bank Indonesia is prioritizing Rupiah stability over rate moves, keeping the policy rate unchanged while tightening FX regulations.

HSBC’s China macro team reviews January–February 2026 data and the latest National People’s Congress outcomes, highlighting a GDP growth target of 4.5–5.0% for 2026.

Here is what you need to know for Thursday, March 19: