Asian Shares Rally on Expectations of Inflation and Rate Cuts

Asian shares rally as inflation data in China and early rate cuts in the US and Europe are anticipated. The dollar remains steady as the risk rally eases, while the Reserve Bank of Australia's interest rate decision is awaited. Battered bond markets enjoy a welcome recovery as a better-than-expected U.S. payrolls report and upbeat productivity numbers suggest the labor market is cooling enough to obviate the need for further rate increases. Asian currencies strengthen and the dollar weakens as softer-than-expected U.S. payrolls data and less hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve drive up bets that the bank is done raising interest rates.