Asian stocks under pressure after US jobs blowout: Markets reel


(Bloomberg) — Asian stocks headed for early declines on Monday after strong U.S. jobs data led traders to rethink the path to Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

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Australian and Hong Kong equity futures fell, indicating further pressure on a gauge of the region’s shares that has fallen in the previous three sessions. The market in Japan is closed for a Monday holiday. US stocks and Treasuries fell after Friday’s report, with the S&P 500 falling 1.5% and the Nasdaq 100 losing 1.6%. The 10-year yield closed seven basis points higher at 4.76%, a level not seen since 2023.

Bond yields in Australia and New Zealand also rose early Monday. The dollar traded within tight ranges after strengthening against most major currencies on Friday, pushing an index of greenback strength to a two-year high. The yen was an outlier, recovering a recent slide against the dollar after signs that Bank of Japan officials are likely to discuss raising their inflation outlook at a policy meeting in late January.

The sell-off in stocks and the dollar’s renewed strength reflect the caution that has marked the first few weeks of the year, as traders remain uncertain about the pace of Federal Reserve cuts and inflation.

Elsewhere, options traders are bracing for the pound to fall by as much as 8% as fiscal woes that led to a painful sell-off in UK markets last week weigh on the currency.

In Asia, the set of data to be released on Monday includes December trade data for China and inflation for India. Separate figures on China’s December money supply may also be released anytime until January 15.

China’s economic data will offer investors further evidence of the challenges facing the world’s second-largest economy. Chinese shares are facing their worst start to the year since 2016 after falling more than 5% in the first seven trading sessions of 2025.

Strong works

Investors will turn their attention to signs of US inflation in data coming out this week, with the consumer price index report out on Wednesday. They will also be watching the New York Fed’s one-year inflation expectations on Monday, producer prices on Tuesday and jobless claims on Thursday.

The data will provide more clarity on the US economy after Friday’s non-farm payrolls figures. US employment in December advanced the most in nine months and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell, capping another year of labor market resilience. The data supported the idea that US rates could remain on hold for the foreseeable future, an outlook suggested by a handful of Fed officials over the past week.



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