Asia-Pacific stocks mixed as risk sentiment improved; PBoC maintained lending rates

Japan (NKY:IND) -0.59%

China (SHCOMP) +0.42%. PBOC Loan Prime Rates remain unchanged at today’s rate setting, as expected, as the board waited to see the effects of prior stimulus on credit demand.

Hong Kong (HSI) +1.42%.

India (SENSEX) -0.21%.

Australia (AS51) +0.13%.

In the U.S. on Friday, all three major indexes ended slightly above the flatline as investors continue to focus on the possibility that the Federal Reserve may be able to begin cutting interest rates.

U.S. stock futures eased on Monday to start the holiday-shortened week, while investors look ahead to the highly-anticipated earnings report and forward guidance from Nvidia: Dow -0.10%; S&P 500 -0.16%; Nasdaq -0.31%.

Inventors now await the latest FOMC minutes and a slew of economic data in the US for further guidance. Investors also await preliminary manufacturing and services PMI figures, as well as inflation data in major Asia-Pacific economies this week for further guidance.

Currencies: (JPY:USD), (CNY:USD), (AUD:USD), (INR:USD), (HKD:USD), (NZD:USD).

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