Overview

• Japan’s Nikkei climbed about 1% at the open after a Friday drop, with sentiment shaped by the Bank of Japan’s hold and two dissenters who pushed for a hike to 0.75%.
• Investors await China’s loan prime rate decision, which polls suggest will stay unchanged, keeping focus on Beijing’s policy stance.
• The Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 basis points last week, and futures pricing points to roughly two additional quarter‑point reductions by year‑end.
• President Donald Trump’s plan to require companies to pay $100,000 per year for new H‑1B visas is pressuring outlooks for global tech and India’s $283 billion IT sector.
• The dollar was steady with the yen slightly weaker near 148 per dollar, while oil ticked up around 0.3% and gold hovered just below last week’s record.