MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.2% to reach its highest since June 2018, extending a 2.8% rise last week.
Those concerns were eased somewhat by news Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, and a close ally of Abe, would join the race to succeed his boss. A slimmed-down leadership contest is likely around Sept. 13 to 15. A host of Federal Reserve officials are set to speak this week, kicking off with Vice Chair Richard Clarida later Monday as they put more flesh on the bank's new policy framework
Yields on 30-year bonds jumped almost 16 basis points last week to stand at 1.508%, 137 basis points above the two-year yield. The spread was now approaching the June gap of 146 basis points which was the largest since late 2017.