"Global Markets Soar: Asia Hits 7-Month High, US Jobs Data in Focus"

Asian stocks reached a seven-month high as investors anticipated a potential rate easing cycle led by major central banks, with Japan being an outlier amid expectations of the Bank of Japan exiting negative interest rates. The dollar and Treasury yields remained under pressure, and global stock indexes rallied to record highs following the European Central Bank's potential rate cut and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's similar tone on U.S. rates. Focus now turns to the closely watched nonfarm payrolls report for further clues on the U.S. rate outlook, while the prospect of an imminent Fed easing cycle kept the dollar broadly weaker.