(Bloomberg) -- The effects of global inflation are beginning to bite in avenues of the economy far beyond food bills, making the job of government and central banks a delicate balancing act. From Singapore autos to Japanese daycare, here’s an economic snapshot. 

The big hint. Investors are now about 50/50 on the odds of a Fed rate cut in March and will be looking for even the tiniest signs of direction following this week’s policy meeting in Washington.

The big budget. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a roll and doesn’t need to splurge on spending to woo voters, so brace for a relatively parsimonious budget on Thursday.

The big sticker. Car prices in Singapore, always stratospheric, rose so fast last year that the government stepped in to cool the market. Even so, some are worried that a growing wealth gap could put vehicles even further out of reach. 

The big data. A bumper crop awaits this week, headlined by an expected jump in China’s PMIs as factories rush to complete orders before the Lunar New Year holiday. Monetary authorities in Singapore and Pakistan will likely stand pat as policymakers await more inflation cooling. Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka release inflation data, with Canberra in particular likely to report a big drop. South Korean exports and Japanese industrial output should be encouraging.

The big creche. From Japan to Brazil, rising inflation is raising child-care costs to unprecedented levels, pushing women out of the workforce and costing economies billions. Yet most governments are doing little to help.

The big handout. The US is poised to announce major chip-making grants in a bid to boost domestic production, and foreign companies such as TSMC and Samsung Electronics could get some of the billions on offer.

The big replacement. Russia’s war in Ukraine caused hundreds of companies from the US and Europe to pull out. In their place has come a flood of Chinese engineers and equipment suppliers to keep Moscow’s heavy industry alive.

The big hearing. Property pariah China Evergrande Group will once again try to fend off liquidation at court hearings in Hong Kong on Monday, eight weeks after the debt-laden developer won a surprise reprieve.

The big earnings. Japan’s top banks may announce a drop in quarterly earnings as trading income slumped, but investors are interested in what comes next. With the central bank poised to raise the world’s last negative interest rate, profits from lending could soar.

And finally, if you’re an athlete or a hypochondriac, here’s how to have fun at home.

Have a wholesome week.

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