Asia Markets Rise on Positive Labor Market Stats and Soft Yen

Asian markets are expected to continue with a positive risk sentiment this week, driven by growing confidence in the U.S. economic 'soft landing' and easing financial conditions. China's upcoming 'data dump' including import and export figures, bank lending and credit, money supply, and inflation data will provide insights into the country's economic performance in the fourth quarter. Other key economic indicators to watch in Asia include consumer inflation readings from Thailand, the Philippines, and Taiwan, as well as third-quarter GDP figures from the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. The Reserve Bank of Australia's rate decision, Bank of Korea's policy meeting minutes, and Bank of Japan's summary of board members' opinions will also be closely monitored. Emerging and Asian markets may have room to catch up and potentially outperform after underperforming their U.S. and global peers last week.