Events that marked the week:

There were no data releases from Australia initially in the week, but from China PMI figures were released.  China reported that its official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index hit a 19-month low in February with the Lunar New Year holidays contributing to slowing business activities. The country's official manufacturing PMI came in at 50.3 in February, lower than a Reuters' poll of 51.2, China's National Bureau of Statistics reported. The official manufacturing PMI reading was 51.3 in January. Chinese statistics bureau official Zhao Qinghe said in a report that manufacturing in February was hit by slowing production and demand as Lunar New Year fell in mid-February this year. Official services PMI meanwhile fell to 54.4 in February from 55.3 in January.