HONG KONG (AP) โ Asian stocks advanced and European markets started Monday with modest gains ahead of policy decisions this week from Japan's central bank and the Federal Reserve.
Germany's DAX added 0.1% to 17,959.35 and London's FTSE 100 rose 0.1% to 7,731.73. In Paris, the CAC 40 fell 0.1% to 8,154.37.
The S&P 500 future rose 0.4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average future was almost unchanged.
chinese data Data for January-February was mixed: real estate investment fell while other indicators showed improvement.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index jumped 2.7% to 39,740.44. Markets are awaiting a decision from the Bank of Japan on Tuesday on whether it will raise its benchmark interest rate for the first time in 17 years. Since 2016, the rate has remained at -0.1%.
Signs that employers are planning solid wage increases appear to have influenced the central bank to finally move away from the massive monetary easing employed for many years to try to stimulate growth in a country where the population is falling and aging rapidly.
Nissan Motor Co. shares rose 4.1% and Honda Motor Co. shares rose 2.7% after the two car manufacturers They agreed on a strategic partnership in electric vehicles.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.1% to 16,737.12, and the Shanghai Composite Index gained 1% to 3,084.93.
Dongfeng Motor Group shares rose 17% after reports that China plans new policies to further boost its fast-growing electric vehicle sector.
Elsewhere, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.1% to 7,675.80, and South Korea's Kospi rose 0.7% to 2,685.84.
In India, the Sensex rose 0.3% and in Bangkok the SET rose 0.1%.
On Friday, Wall Street closed its second straight week of losses, giving up some of the gains that helped propel the stock market to a record high earlier in the week.
The S&P 500 fell 0.6% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%. The Nasdaq Composite closed down 1%.
Technology stocks retreated. Software maker Adobe fell 13.7% after giving investors a weak revenue forecast. Microsoft fell 2.1% and Broadcom lost 2.1%.
Communication services stocks also contributed to the market's decline. Meta Platforms fell 1.6% and Google parent Alphabet fell 1.3%.
The latest pullback for stocks came as traders reviewed several reports showing that inflation, while generally cooling, remains persistent.
A widely followed report from the University of Michigan showed that Consumer confidence unexpectedly fell in March.
Inflation remains the big concern on Wall Street amid hopes that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates. The Federal Reserve sharply raised interest rates starting in 2022 in an effort to control inflation and return it to its 2% goal. Inflation at the consumer level reached 9.1% in 2022.
a report on consumer prices Last week showed that inflation remains persistent, rising to 3.2% in February from 3.1% in January. Another report on wholesale prices It also showed that inflation remains higher than Wall Street expected.
Other reports this week showed some weakening in the economy, bolstering hopes for a continued decline in long-term inflation.
The stock rally that began in October has essentially stalled this month as investors question the path forward for inflation, the Federal Reserve and the economy.
Fed officials will give their latest forecasts on where they see interest rates heading this year on Wednesday, following their latest monetary policy meeting. Traders are still leaning toward a rate cut in June, according to data from CME Group. The Federal Reserve's main interest rate remains at its highest level since 2001.
In other trading, benchmark U.S. crude oil added 59 cents to $81.63 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 48 cents to $85.82 a barrel.
The US dollar rose to 149.11 Japanese yen from 149.03 yen. The euro was worth $1.0896, down from $1.0887.
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