Asia-Pacific markets poised for mixed open as traders await details of U.S-China talks

Asia-Pacific markets poised for mixed open as traders await details of U.S-China talks


Here are the opening calls for the day

Good morning from Singapore.

Investors will be keeping a close watch on Chinese markets following reports that the country will resume trade talks with the U.S. in Stockholm on Monday to discuss longstanding economic disputes.

The talks will be led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index stood at 25,396, pointing to a stronger open compared with the HSI’s last close of 25,388.35.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open higher, with the futures contract in Chicago at 41,645 while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 41,410, against the index’s Friday close of 41,456.23.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was set to start the day lower with futures tied to the benchmark at 8,626, compared with its last close of 8,666.90.

— Amala Balakrishner



Source

Japan inflation cools to 2.1%, lowest since March 2022, but rice prices loom large ahead of election
World

Japan inflation cools to 2.1%, lowest since March 2022, but rice prices loom large ahead of election

An employee at the Celsior Wadamachi supermarket in Yokohama, Japan, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Soaring food costs are a key component driving broader inflation higher, with data Friday expected to show consumer price growth has stayed above the central bank’s 2% target for four straight calendar years. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Japan’s headline inflation […]

Read More
TikTok forms U.S. joint venture, names a CEO
World

TikTok forms U.S. joint venture, names a CEO

The TikTok USDS (U.S. Data Security) logo appears on a smartphone screen in this illustration photo in Reno, United States, on Dec. 19, 2025. Jaque Silva | Nurphoto | Getty Images TikTok said Thursday that it formed a joint venture that will keep the video-sharing app operating in the United States. The short-form video company […]

Read More
Asia-Pacific markets mostly rise ahead of Bank of Japan decision
World

Asia-Pacific markets mostly rise ahead of Bank of Japan decision

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Photographer: Akio Kon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets mostly climbed Friday, tracking Wall Street gains as geopolitical concerns eased and investors looked ahead to the Bank of Japan’s decision. The central bank is expected to […]

Read More