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.



Source

Some young Americans scale back dating as costs and apps add pressure, survey shows
World

Some young Americans scale back dating as costs and apps add pressure, survey shows

For many young Americans, dating is becoming as much about finances as it is romance. Half of single Americans surveyed said they are going on fewer dates or choosing less expensive activities because of rising costs, according to BMO Financial Group’s 2026 BMO Real Financial Progress Index. The bank polled 2,501 adults in late December through […]

Read More
0 bags, 0 earrings,  hats: Mid-priced products are a status symbol for young shoppers
World

$300 bags, $150 earrings, $60 hats: Mid-priced products are a status symbol for young shoppers

When Jenny Lei launched her handbag company Freja, she thought about how much she’d personally want to spend on a work tote as a 20-something in New York City, she says. “I think a justifiable treat is less than $300. Above that, I start bargaining with myself,” says Lei, now 30, who launched Freja in […]

Read More
36-year-old left the U.S. for China—now pays ,000 rent and 0 for groceries for family of 4: It’s my ‘version of the American Dream’
World

36-year-old left the U.S. for China—now pays $1,000 rent and $100 for groceries for family of 4: It’s my ‘version of the American Dream’

As a kid, I moved around a lot. I was born in California, but I’ve lived in Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia, Montana and Oklahoma. I never had the chance to call anywhere “home” for too long. So if you’d told me back then that I’d end up in China, I would’ve laughed. I visited […]

Read More