The quarterly US employment cost index rose by 0.9% in Q2, the same as in the previous quarter, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday.
This was above the consensus estimate of a 0.8% gain in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.
Benefits costs increased by 1% in the quarter after a 1.2% gain in previous quarter, while wage growth accelerated to 0.9% from 0.8% in Q1.
Singapore's unemployment rate remained unchanged in the second quarter at 2% from the previous quarter, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Manpower released Friday.The reading matched the Trading Economics forecast of 2.1%.Total employment grew by 10,700 during the second quarter of the year, compared with 10,400 a year earlier.
New Zealand's lending from registered banks and non-bank lending institutions increased in June, driven by growth in housing, business, and agricultural lending, while personal consumer lending edged lower compared with the previous month, according to data from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand released on Friday.Total housing loans from registered banks and non-bank lending institutions in New Zealand grew to NZ$400.51 billion in June from NZ$399.03 billion in May. Total personal consumer lending fell to NZ$14.45 billion in June from NZ$14.46 billion in the previous month.Total business lending increased to NZ$143.18 billion in the period, from NZ$143.13 billion. Meanwhile, agricultural lending rose to NZ$64.5 billion in June, from NZ$63.16 billion in the previous month.
The Bank of Japan voted to maintain its benchmark policy rate at 1.00% at the conclusion of its monetary policy meeting on Friday.The decision matched the consensus forecast tracked by Investing.com.The policy board decided, in an 8-1 vote, to continue guiding the uncollateralized overnight call rate to remain until the next monetary policy meeting.