By Tom Westbrook
Publication Date: 2025-11-17 01:39:00
SINGAPORE, Nov 17 (Reuters) – Asia’s stock markets struck a cautious tone on Monday as traders looked ahead to a week of corporate earnings and catch-up U.S. data, with the focus on the interest rate outlook and the fate of a frothy rally in artificial intelligence stocks.
Hesitant-sounding policymakers have driven market expectations for a U.S. rate cut in December back from more than 60% a week ago to 40% on Monday and put pressure on stocks.
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S&P 500 futures were 0.3% higher in early trade.
Japan’s Nikkei (.N225) was flat, but tourism and some retail stocks fell heavily after China cautioned citizens against visiting Japan as a diplomatic dispute deepens.
Shares in department store operator Isetan Mitsukoshi (3099.T) and cosmetics-maker Shiseido (4911.T) notched drops of around 10%.
In Australia, a 0.7% drop for BHP (BHP.AX) after Britain’s high court found it liable for a dam collapse in Brazil weighed on the bourse, which hit a four-month low (.AXJO).
Wall Street indexes recovered from a steep selloff on Friday to notch a mixed close, with a small drop for the S&P 500 (.SPX) and modest gain for the Nasdaq (.IXIC). Ten-year U.S. Treasury yields rose on Friday held at 4.156% in Tokyo.
JOBS, DELAYED
The headline U.S. data release this week…
