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Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Friday as investors in Asia look to the Bank of Japan's policy decision and inflation figures out of Tokyo. Thirteen economists polled by Reuters unanimously forecast that the BOJ will leave its monetary policy unchanged. Tokyo's headline inflation rate for April came in at 1.8%, slowing from the 2.6% in March. Core inflation in the capital — which strips out prices of fresh food — sharply fell to 1.6% from March's 2.4%, missing expectations of 2.2% from economists polled by Reuters. Tokyo inflation data is widely considered as a leading indicator of nationwide trends.

Persons: Cherry Organizations: Nippon Budokan, Bank of, Reuters Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Asia, Pacific

Commercial and residential buildings seen from the rooftop of the Lotte Corp. World Tower at sunset in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. Asia-Pacific markets took a breather after two straight days of rallies, mirroring moves on Wall Street ahead of first-quarter gross domestic product figures from the U.S. due Thursday. In Asia, investors will assess South Korea's advance first-quarter GDP growth of 3.4% year on year, the highest quarterly growth since the fourth quarter of 2021. Separately, the Bank of Japan kicks off its monetary policy meeting Thursday as investors monitor for action against yen weakness. The yen slid past the 155 mark against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, hitting a fresh 34-year low.

Organizations: Lotte Corp, Bank of Japan, U.S Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Asia, Pacific, U.S

Goldman Sachs' David Kostin expects earnings will be higher this year even amid concerns of margin pressures in the face of higher inflation. Of those companies, Kostin noted, roughly two-thirds have topped expectations on the bottom line, while about one-third beat estimates on the top line. "What that suggests to us is that companies are able and demonstrating the ability to kind of squeak over a little bit margin," Kostin told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Tuesday. The chief U.S. equity strategist said he anticipates inflation will eventually move lower this year, and interest rates will come down from their highs, helping to drive earnings growth. "Our forecast is that [the] market rises slowly in line with expectations for earnings," Kostin said.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, David Kostin, Kostin, CNBC's, Sarah Min

Photo taken on January 21, 2024 shows a real estate project under construction in Huai 'an city, Jiangsu province, China. Asia-Pacific markets rebounded from Friday's sell-off as investors look to fresh data points out of China, Japan and South Korea this week. On Friday, markets in the region tumbled after Israel launched a strike at Iran, causing stocks to fall and safe-haven assets to climb. On Monday, investors will monitor China's one-year and five-year loan prime rates. The five-year LPR will be closely watched, as it acts as the peg for most property mortgages.

Persons: Huai Organizations: Israel Locations: Jiangsu province, China, Asia, Pacific, Japan, South Korea, Iran

The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. Kosuke Okahara/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets were set to fall Tuesday as the U.S. market took a breather following a rally sparked by optimism over the Federal Reserve's interest rate stance at its latest meeting. "We're coming off of a post-FOMC high," he told CNBC, referring to the U.S. Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee meeting last week. "The market is getting more and more vulnerable to a market decline or a pullback in prices." Investors in Asia also await economic data out of Southeast Asia, including Singapore's manufacturing output and Thailand's trade balance.

Persons: Kosuke Okahara, Sam Stovall Organizations: Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan Exchange Group Inc, Bloomberg, Getty Images, Federal, CFRA Research, CNBC, U.S, U.S . Federal Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Getty Images Asia, Pacific, U.S, U.S ., Asia, Southeast Asia

A Chinese flag flies outside a residential compound in Beijing on April 30, 2017. Greg Baker | Afp | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets appear set to extend their declines Wednesday, ahead of a slew of economic data from China. Investors will also assess the Reuters Tankan manufacturing index for January, which is a leading indicator of the Bank of Japan's official quarterly Tankan survey that assesses business conditions in the country. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 extended its losing streak to a fourth day, falling 0.17% in early trade. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 15,793, pointing to a weaker open after the index led losses in Asia on Tuesday, closing at 15,865.92.

Persons: Greg Baker Organizations: Afp, Getty, Investors, Reuters, Bank of Japan's, Nikkei Locations: Beijing, Asia, Pacific, China, Australia, Chicago, Osaka

"Not only are we seeing exuberance by investors, but certainly we're seeing exuberance by analysts," Yardeni said. "They dramatically increased their earnings expectations for Nvidia ," and that drove down the stock's forward P/E multiple to the 20s from the 80s. "But look, it's a hot stock, and it's probably going to remain a hot stock as long as AI delivers. I think it's going to take somewhat longer for AI to deliver as much as the market seems to expect." What's more, investors are expecting too many interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve in 2024, Yardeni said.

Persons: Ed Yardeni, Yardeni, it's, we're, — Scott Schnipper Organizations: Federal Reserve, Nvidia, Cisco

The sails of the Opera House are illuminated with projections on the opening night of Vivid Sydney 2023 in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Asia-Pacific markets were set to open lower as investors assess comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve board members and await Australia's October inflation figures. On Tuesday, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he was growing more confident that policy was in a place now to bring inflation back under control. Waller also said the Fed might start lowering rates if inflation continues to ease over the next three to five months. In contrast, Governor Michelle Bowman said more rate hikes will likely be needed as evolving dynamics keep inflation elevated.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Waller, Michelle Bowman, Bowman Organizations: Opera, Vivid, U.S . Federal Reserve, Federal Locations: Sydney, Australia, Asia, Pacific

Hong Kong Spreephoto.de | Moment | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets are set to rebound slightly after the region saw all its major indexes end the day in negative territory on Monday. Earlier on Tuesday, oil prices eased somewhat lower after Qatar said the truce between Israel and Hamas has been extended by a further two days. Japan's markets started the day close to the flatline, with the Nikkei 225 marginally up and the Topix just slightly below the no change mark. South Korea's Kospi was up 0.42%, while the small-cap Kosdaq saw a larger gain of 0.53%. However, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index looks set to extend its losses from Monday, with HSI futures at 17,517 compared to the index's close of 17,525.06.

Persons: Brent, Kospi, Hong Organizations: West Texas, Nikkei Locations: Hong Kong, Asia, Pacific, Qatar, Israel, Australia

Asia-Pacific markets are set for a positive start to the week as investors await key economic data out from major economies around the region, including China and Japan. China will release its official factory activity figures for November on Thursday, while the Caixin survey for the same metric will be out on Friday. Australia and Japan will release their October inflation figures on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, which will give clues to future moves by their respective central banks. India's gross domestic product numbers for the three months ended September will also be released late Thursday.

Locations: Asia, Pacific, China, Japan, Australia

Commercial and residential buildings at dusk in the Minato district of Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Asia-Pacific markets are largely set for a stronger open as investors assess key economic data out from Japan on Friday. The world's third largest economy saw its core inflation rate rise to 2.9% in October, higher than the 2.8% seen in September. The country will also expect flash estimates for its November factory activity from the au Jibun bank.

Locations: Minato, Tokyo, Japan, Asia, Pacific

The Sydney Opera House Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Gallo Images | Brand X Pictures | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets are set to fall after minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's Oct. 31 meeting revealed that policy officials maintained that monetary policy had to be restrictive and had little appetite for rate cuts. "In discussing the policy outlook, participants continued to judge that it was critical that the stance of monetary policy be kept sufficiently restrictive to return inflation to the Committee's 2 percent objective over time," the minutes said. The federal funds rate currently stands at 5.25%-5.5%. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 17,702 following a volatile trading session on Tuesday, pointing to a weaker open compared with the HSI's close of 17,733.89.

Organizations: Sydney Opera House, Getty, U.S, U.S . Federal, Nikkei Locations: Sydney Opera House Sydney , New South Wales, Australia, Asia, Pacific, U.S ., Chicago, Osaka

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