Cautious Start to Trading Ahead of Week's Eco Data, Earnings

Asian shares gained in a cautious start to the week as investors await progress in US trade negotiations with the region and signs of further stimulus from China. The dollar was steady against major peers and US equity-index futures edged lower in early trading Monday. Contracts in Japan signal a gain when cash markets reopen after the yen weakened on Friday, while those in Australia and Hong Kong were little changed. We talk FX and currencies with Peter McGuire, CEO at Trading.com Australia. 

Plus - US stocks notched their longest advance in three months on Friday, while bonds and the dollar climbed amid increasing expectations the Federal Reserve could ease policy again in the first half of this year as the US economy softens. Worries about the economic fallout from tariffs drove US consumer sentiment to one of its lowest readings on record while long-term inflation expectations climbed to the highest since 1991. Investors will focus on key economic data this week - including the US jobs report and gross domestic product data - to see if the the recent steadiness in markets will continue as tariff tensions tamp down. We preview the week's eco data with Lawrence Werther, Chief US Economist at Daiwa Capital Markets.

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