- As investors continued to consider the possibility of a soft landing given predictions for higher interest rates, stocks in Asia increased, mirroring advances in the US.
- The KOSPI index was leading an Asia equity benchmark out of a two-day slump. The Hang Seng Index rose as Hong Kong dropped its mask mandate, removing the last vestige of the city's economy-damaging covid restrictions.
- US contracts rose after the S&P 500 gained 0.3% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 0.7% on Monday. The recovery follows recent selloffs caused by rate hike fears.
- China's National People's Congress, which begins this weekend, is the next major event on the Asian calendar. Investors are looking for more pro-growth policies that could resurrect China's stock market rally.
