EQUITIES

Asia-Pacific markets rose on Monday. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.91% while the South Korea’s KOSPI added 0.52% and Australia’s benchmark ASX 200 rose 0.60%.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.98%, and Chinese mainland shares also advanced, with the Shanghai composite was up 1.02%.

Elsewhere, the India’s S&P BSE Sensex edged 0.54% higher, and the Straits Times index in Singapore added 0.22%.

OIL

Oil prices rose on Monday, extending gains from last Friday, helped by growing optimism that the Omicron coronavirus variant's impact will be limited on global economic growth and fuel demand.

The Brent now traded at $76.24 per barrel, and U.S. crude futures traded at $72.80 per barrel.

On Friday, the Brent futures ends the week at $75.15 a barrel, while the WTI crude oil prices closed to $71.67 per barrel.

CURRENCIES

The dollar index was at 96.184, fractionally higher than its previous close at 96.097.

Yields on 10-year notes little changed, at 1.494%, and remain well below the high for the year at 1.776%.

 Bitcoin was trading just under $50,000 after the world's largest cryptocurrency climbed a little over the weekend, but still has work to do to reclaim November's record high of $69,000, after it posts fourth consecutive weekly drop.

GOLD

Gold prices edged slightly higher on Monday, gaining only fleeting support from the lofty U.S. inflation reading late last week.

Spot gold rose 0.16% to $1,785.70 per ounce, and U.S. gold futures gained 0.10% to $1,786.8               0.

Spot silver rose 0.36% to $22.27 an ounce, platinum jumped 0.97% to $943.30, and palladium added 0.95% to $1,766.50.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Asian stocks pushed ahead on Monday as investors turn their focus to a number of monetary policy meetings happening this week.

17 central bank meetings are due to hold their monetary policy meetings this week, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank.

The Federal Reserve is widely expected to signal a faster tapering of asset buying, and thus an earlier start to rate hikes. It will also update the dot plots for rates over the next couple of years.