• Asian stocks climbed Friday as the latest round of US economic data signaled momentum is slowing, boosting the case for the Federal Reserve to start cutting interest rates this year.
• Australian and Japanese shares rose, while equity futures in Hong Kong pointed to an early gain. Contracts for US shares slipped after Dell Technologies Inc. sank in post-market trading as its revenue increase failed to impress investors. The Golden Dragon Index, a gauge of Chinese stocks listed on the Nasdaq, climbed over 1% on Thursday.
• Just 24 hours before the release of the Fed’s favorite price gauge, a report showed the US economy grew at a softer pace — as both spending and inflation were marked down. Economic cooling may bolster the case for policy easing, but that might also imply weaker consumption, and ultimately become a concern for Corporate America.