Asia-Pacific markets poised for gains ahead of China’s key lending rate decision

Asia-Pacific markets poised for gains ahead of China’s key lending rate decision


19 November 2025, China, Shanghai: Boats sail past downtown Shanghai on the Huangpu River. The tallest building on the skyline is the Shanghai Tower (rear).

Bernd von Jutrczenka | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

Asia-Pacific markets were set to climb Monday as investors look toward benchmark lending rate decisions coming out of China later in the day.

The one-year rate influences most new and outstanding loans, while the five-year benchmark affects mortgages.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.54% in early trade.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 futures pointed to a stronger open, with the futures contract in Chicago at 50,565 and its counterpart in Osaka at 50,330, compared to the previous close of 49,507.21. The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 0.75% —a three-decade high— last Friday.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures were at 25,843, higher than the HSI’s last close of 25,690.53.

Last Friday in the U.S., stocks rose for a second winning day, boosted by Oracle, as the artificial intelligence trade regained its footing after experiencing volatility.

Oracle shares were up 6.6% after TikTok agreed to sell its U.S. operations to a new joint venture that includes the software giant and private equity investor Silver Lake.

The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.31%, closing at 23,307.62. The S&P 500 added 0.88% to close at 6,834.50. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 183.04 points, or 0.38%, and settled at 48,134.89.



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