Fed chair Jerome Powell had already signalled plans to accelerate the tapering of stimulus payments. Many analysts expect the central bank to hike interest rates at least twice in 2022.But traders took the data in stride, in part because inflation was largely expected.In Tokyo, “the market is looking at the Bank of Japan’s Tankan” quarterly business survey, released 10 minutes before the opening bell, senior market analyst Toshiyuki Kanayama of Monex said.
The latest survey showed Japan’s major manufacturers remain cautious about the economy’s trajectory, with business sentiment flat for the quarter as concerns about the pandemic linger.ADVERTISEMENT “Global equities had a solid run last week and we’ll see if the goodwill lasts into what is a behemoth when it comes to event risk,” Chris Weston, head of research with Pepperstone Financial, wrote in a note.
The Fed, along with the latest on the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, should dictate sentiment, he added.Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.36 percent at 24,321.99London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,291.78 Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.26 from 85.29 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.89 percent at $72.56 per barrelSubscribe to our business newsletter