Asian stock markets rose on Monday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street after softer-than-expected U.S. labor market data scaled back expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike next month. Japan's Nikkei rose 2.01% to top 66,500 and the broader Topix Index advanced 0.5% to 4,095, while the Bank of Japan's July summary of opinions signaled scope for further rate hikes as underlying inflation approaches 2%, following its July decision to hold rates at 1.0%. China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.06% to a near one-month high of 3,965, but annual consumer inflation slowed to 0.5% in July 2026 from 1.0% in June, missing market expectations of 0.8% and marking its lowest level since January. South Korea's KOSPI rebounded 0.5% to around 6,290, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.60% to 25,873, and India's Sensex rose 0.10% to 78,348, while Australia's ASX 200 fell 0.31% to 9,218 ahead of Tuesday's Reserve Bank of Australia rate decision.
