Central Bank Decisions Shake Asian Markets

Asia-Pacific markets fell as investors awaited central bank decisions this week, including the U.S. Federal Reserve's announcement on Thursday and Australia's central bank releasing its minutes on Tuesday. The Bank of Japan will conclude its monetary policy meeting on Friday, while the People's Bank of China is expected to release its loan prime rate decisions. Meanwhile, shares of Chinese real estate developer Evergrande tumbled after police detained some staff from its wealth management unit. SoftBank is reportedly planning to invest in artificial intelligence, potentially partnering with OpenAI or investing in rivals. Singapore's non-oil domestic exports declined for the 11th consecutive month, and the inflation outlook in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in over two years. Arm Holdings' shares crawled back slightly after its IPO-driven rally, and the Dollar Index is on track for its longest weekly win streak since 2014. The Nasdaq Composite erased earlier gains, with chip equipment stocks and Netflix among the biggest losers.