* Thailand’s Consumer Prices Continue to Fall in March — The country’s headline consumer price index dropped 0.46% in March from the previous year, easing slightly from the 0.50% on-year fall in February, data from the ministry showed. However, the March CPI edged up 0.21% from the previous month, accelerating from a 0.15% on-month rise in February. Thailand’s March core inflation reading, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, was 0.75% on-year and 0.01% on-month. The core CPI result almost matched the poll’s forecasts for a 0.8% on-year rise and a 0.05% on-month increase. (Nasdaq, 1/4/16)
* Thailand Future Fund to be launched April, according to the MoF. The initial investment worth billions will come from Vayupak Fund and Government Pension Fund. (Thai Post, 4/4/16)
* Cabinet has approved MRT Yellow and Pink lines. The Minister of Finance expects private companies to be interested in bidding for these projects. It expects the Blue Line extension to be concluded in May. (Thun Hoon, 04/04/16)
* Cabinet approves tax deduction for Songkran expenses. The cabinet has approved economic stimulus measures for the Songkran Festival from April 9-17, encouraging people’s spending and travel with a maximum tax deduction of Bt15,000 per person. (The Nation , 30/3/16)

* NBTC says a new auction for the 900-megahertz spectrum license will take place on June 24, with starting price at Bt75.65bn. The new guarantee conditions will require prospective bidders to place 3.78 billion baht. Bidders will also have to pay the NBTC an additional Bt11.35bn if they default on the license payment. JAS has to explain itself to NBTC on Apr 5. (Khao Hoon, 01/04/16)
* Fed’s Evans: April rate hike would be surprising — The Federal Reserve is reluctant to plow ahead with more interest rate hikes because of increased global risks, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans told CNBC on Wednesday. Evans spoke a day after central bank Chair Janet Yellen struck a dovish tone compared with recent comments by other Fed officials advocating hiking interest rates. (CNBC, 31/3/16)
* Yellen says caution in raising rates is ‘especially warranted’. Fed chair makes case for goslow changes with rate near zero. Yellen said it is appropriate for U.S. central bankers to “proceed cautiously” in raising interest rates because the global economy presents heightened risks. (Bloomberg, 30/3/15)
* China March official services PMI rises to 53.8 from Feb’s 52.7 — Activity in China’s services industry expanded in March at a faster pace than in the previous month, an official survey showed on Friday. The official non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 53.8 in March, up from the previous month’s 52.7 and well above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis. (Reuters, 1/4/16)
* Draghi: ECB Will Do ‘Whatever Is Needed’ to Raise Inflation — Pushing back against critics who argue he has backed too much stimulus, European Central Bank head Mario Draghi says the top monetary authority for the eurozone will do “whatever is needed” to lift dangerously low inflation. Draghi’s remark Thursday underlines the bank’s willingness to step up its stimulus efforts — even though they were increased as recently as its last meeting on March 10. (CNBC, 8/4/16)
* China’s FX reserves post surprise rise in March on more stable yuan — China’s foreign exchange reserves surprisingly rose in March, the first monthly gain since November, as cooling expectations of U.S. interest rate hikes eased pressure on the yuan. China’s foreign exchange reserves – the world’s largest – climbed $10.26 billion in March to $3.21 trillion, central bank data showed on Thursday. The reserves beat a Reuters poll forecast of a drop to $3.18 trillion from $3.20 trillion in February, but are still down sharply from a peak of $3.99 trillion in June 2014. (Reuters, 7/4/16)