• Asian equities are poised to extend recent gains after the S&P 500 Index rose to a record on Friday, bolstered by increased speculation the Federal Reserve will start cutting rates this year.
• Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.4%, while E-Mini futures edged up 0.1% for the S&P 500 and 0.3% for the Nasdaq 100.
• Futures also pointed to gains to start the week for shares in Tokyo and Hong Kong. The US dollar was little changed against most major peers, maintaining its strength this month amid hopes that the Fed’s policies will engineer a so-called soft landing for the US economy.