The Tokyo Tower stands amid buildings at dusk in Tokyo, Japan.
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Asia-Pacific markets were set to trade mixed on Monday as investors assessed the resignation of Japan’s prime minister and eyed key economic data in the region.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open higher after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation Sunday, after weeks of mounting pressure over his national election defeat late last year. The futures contract in Chicago pointed to a higher open at 43,415, against the index’s last close of 43,018.75.
“Japan is now set for a period of extended uncertainty going into Q4 2025,” wrote analysts from BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions. “Although the next LDP leader would ordinarily automatically become prime minister, it is theoretically possible for the opposition to band together under a rival candidate for the premiership.”
Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 25,344, lower than its last close of 25,417.98.
Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is set to rise, with futures standing at 8,848, higher than the index’s close of 8,871.2.
China’s trade data for August will also be in focus.
U.S. stock futures were little changed on Sunday as investors gear up for a data-heavy week that includes two closely watched readings on inflation. The producer price index report for August is due out Wednesday morning stateside, followed by the consumer price index on Thursday.
Last Friday in the U.S., all three major averages closed lower after a weaker-than-expected jobs report gave way to worries about a slowing economy, even as expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut were solidified.
The S&P 500 finished down 0.32% at 6,481.50, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.03% to settle at 21,700.39. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 220.43 points, or 0.48%, at 45,400.86.
All three leading indexes had reached fresh record intraday highs earlier in Friday’s session. At their peaks, the broad market index, the tech-heavy Nasdaq and the blue-chip Dow were up about 0.5%, 0.8% and 0.3%, respectively.
— CNBC’s Brian Evans and Sean Conlon contributed to this report.
