Australian markets see muted moves; China's inflation data ahead

Markets in Japan are closed on Monday for a holiday.

Australian markets see muted moves; China's inflation data ahead

SINGAPORE — Stock in Australia were little changed as investors in Asia-Pacific await the release of Chinese inflation data for December.

In morning trade, the S&P/ASX 200 dipped fractionally. Energy stocks jumped, with Santos up 2.36% while Beach Energy gained 1.83%.

Markets in Japan are closed on Monday for a holiday.

China's inflation data for December is expected to be released at around 9:30 a.m. HK/SIN on Monday.

Developments on the coronavirus front will likely continue to be monitored by investors and could weigh on sentiment. In the U.S., nearly 3,000 people are dying every day, on average, of Covid-19.

In Asia, a jump in coronavirus infections has prompted the Japanese government to place multiple areas in the country —including Tokyo — under a state of emergency.

Currencies

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 90.205 after a recent rise from levels below 89.4.

The Japanese yen traded at 103.98 per dollar after weakening last week from levels below 103 against the greenback. The Australian dollar was at $0.7741 following levels above $0.78 seen last week.

What's on tap:

China: Inflation data for December at 9:30 a.m. HK/SIN