Asian Stocks March Higher as BoJ and Fed Week Begins – Asia Market Wrap

Asian stocks climbed the most in more than two weeks, ahead of a week of key central bank decisions and huge tech reports. The yen soared.

Benchmark indexes rose in markets ranging from Australia to Japan and Hong Kong, mirroring Wall Street’s robust performance on Friday as predictions on Fed policy easing intensified. US futures also rose on Monday.

Chinese equities defied the trend despite a lack of robust economic stimulus, while a protracted rise in the country’s bond market drove the 10-year yield to a new low.

Monetary policy decisions in Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom will take centre stage this week, after global markets were battered by the yen’s recent rise on anticipation that the Bank of Japan will raise its benchmark rate. Earnings from Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft are also under focus, following a stock sell-off prompted by a lacklustre start to the megacaps reporting season.