Asian Markets Trading Mixed While Investors Await Key U.S. Jobs Report

Asian shares traded mixed on Tuesday as investors looked ahead to a key report on US employment set for release later in the week, Yuri Kageyama reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The closely watched US jobs data are expected to influence the Federal Reserve’s read on the US economy and when it will start lowering interest rates.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.2% in morning trading to 38,787.80, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell less than 0.1% to 8,102.70. The closely watched US jobs data are expected to influence the Federal Reserve’s read on the US economy and when it will start lowering interest rates.

The move will have repercussions through global markets, including Asia.

South Korea’s Kospi added 0.2% to 2,687.14 after a report showed consumer inflation slowed in August to the weakest in more than three years, supporting expectations of an easing of monetary policy.

That move could come as soon as next month. South Korea’s consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.4% from the previous month and 2.0% from a year earlier, after gaining 0.3% from a month earlier and 2.6% year-on-year in July.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added nearly 0.1% to 17,706.67, while the Shanghai Composite edged down 0.2% to 2,805.74.