Asian stocks rise on Chinese markets, Japan’s Nikkei reaches near highs since 1990

Asian markets rose across the board following upbeat Chinese markets.
Chinese property shares boost on expectations of additional government stimulus measures.
PBoC injected around 80 billion Yuan of liquidity into the markets.
Australia's ASX 200 rose on improved commodity stocks ahead of RBA’s meeting minutes.

Akhtar Faruqui FXStreet

Asian shares saw gains on Monday, buoyed by a rebound in Chinese markets driven by expectations of additional government stimulus measures. The People's Bank of China (PBoC) injected around 80 billion Yuan of liquidity into the markets.

As of now, China's SSE Composite Index is showing a gain of 0.54% at 3,070, while the Shenzhen Component Index has improved by 0.63% to 10,042. Japan’s Nikkei 225 has risen to 33,403, up by 0.54%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is at 17,716, and the Korean KOSPI has risen to 2,495. However, Taiwan's Weighted Index has dipped by 0.13% to 17,185.

Despite the positive momentum, gains were limited as investors awaited the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes scheduled for Tuesday. The minutes are anticipated to offer insights into the Fed's stance on inflationary pressure and its approach to monetary policy.

Chinese stocks experienced a boost from a rebound in property stocks, following regulators' commitment to providing more policy support to the struggling real estate sector. Moreover, the interest rate decision in China, with the PBoC keeping its loan prime rate at 3.45%, provided few cues to the markets.

Australia's ASX 200 showed a 0.13% rise, with support from strength in commodity stocks. The focus shifted to the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) November meeting minutes for additional insights into monetary policy.

Japan's Nikkei 225 remained flat post reaching near highs since 1990, fueled by strong earnings and foreign investors attracted by the Bank of Japan's dovish stance and asset control measures.

Author

Akhtar Faruqui

FXStreet

Akhtar Faruqui is a Forex Analyst based in New Delhi, India. With a keen eye for market trends and a passion for dissecting complex financial dynamics, he is dedicated to delivering accurate and insightful Forex news and analysis.

EUR/USD stays weak near 1.1650 ahead of critical US events

EUR/USD stays in the red near 1.1650 in the European trading hours on Friday. The pair remains undermined by broad US Dollar strength and a cautious market mood. Traders keenly await the US Nonfarm Payrolls data and Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's tariff powers for further direction.

GBP/USD holds lower ground below 1.3450, with eyes on US data

GBP/USD remains subdued for the fourth consecutive day, while trading below 1.3450 in the European session on Friday. Markets remain in a wait-and-see mode before the key US event risks and prefer to hold the US Dollar, which weighs negatively on the pair. The US monthly jobs data and the Supreme Court decision on tariffs are awaited.

Gold flat lines around $4,475; looks to US NFP report for fresh impetus

Gold reverses a modest intraday dip to the $4,453 area, and trades near the top end of its daily range heading into the European session. The upside, however, seems limited as traders might opt to wait for the US Nonfarm Payrolls report later today. The crucial employment details will be looked upon for more cues about the Federal Reserve's rate-cut path.

Nonfarm Payrolls expected to show US labor market remained weak in December

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the Nonfarm Payrolls data for December on Friday at 13:30 GMT. Economists expect Nonfarm Payrolls to rise by 60,000 in December following the 64,000 increase recorded in November.

2026 economic outlook: Clear skies but don’t unfasten your seatbelts yet

Most years fade into the background as soon as a new one starts. Not 2025: a year of epochal shifts, in which the macroeconomy was the dog that did not bark. What to expect in 2026? The shocks of 2025 will not be undone, but neither will they be repeated.

Pepe Price Forecast: PEPE risks 100-day EMA fallout as bullish interest fades

Pepe is under extreme selling pressure, trading in the red for the fifth consecutive day, down 1% at press time on Friday. Pepe’s decline following a 72% hike last week suggests a likely profit-booking phase, while on-chain data indicates declining network activity.