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SINGAPORE – Asia-Pacific stocks were lower on Monday morning, and investors await the release of China’s benchmark interest rate.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.49%, while the Topix index lost 0.42%. South Korea’s Kospi was 0.63% lower.
Shares of Australia fell, and the S & P / ASX 200 fell 0.4%.
MSCI’s broader Asia-Pacific stock index outside of Japan was trading 0.22% lower.
China is set to announce its latest Lending Prime Rate (LPR) at around 9:30 am HK / SIN. Analysts and traders in a recent Reuters poll expect no one-year or five-year LPR changes.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus situation in parts of North Asia, such as Japan and South Korea, remains dire and could affect investor sentiment.
New coronavirus cases in South Korea hit a new record on Sunday, according to local news agency Yonhap. In Japan, the country’s capital Tokyo saw its monthly count of new coronavirus cases surpass 10,000 for the first time on Sunday, according to Kyodo News.
Coins
The US dollar index, which tracks the dollar against a basket of its peers, was at 90.28, up from a recent drop below the 90 level.
The Japanese yen was trading at 103.40 per dollar after levels below 103.2 against the dollar seen last week. The Australian dollar changed hands at $ 0.7586, having risen from levels below $ 0.752 last week.
Here’s a look at what’s available:
- China: Prime Loan Rates at 9:30 a.m. M. HK / SIN
– CNBC’s Berkeley Lovelace Jr. contributed to this report.
