Investors broadly expect the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) on Wednesday. Rate announcements are due on Thursday from both the Bank of England and the European Central Bank - and both are expected to hike rates by 50 bps.
Earnings from a who's who of tech giants will also test the mettle of Wall Street bulls, who are looking to propel the Nasdaq to its best January since 2001.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.53% to almost nine-month highs of 561.99. The index, which fell nearly 20% last year, is up about 11% in the month and is on course for its best ever January performance. Japan's Nikkei rose 0.20%.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan climbed 0.9% to 557.65 and was set for its fifth straight day of gains.
U.S. Treasury yields remained elevated in Tokyo after bouncing off four-month lows overnight. Japanese government bond yields stayed depressed, two days after the Bank of Japan defied investor pressure to loosen yield curve controls further.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.8% and benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yields, which fall when prices rise, hit their lowest since September at 3.66%. U.S. crude futures fell 1%.
China's economy hit a bump in the fourth quarter, growing by 2.9% year-on-year, National Bureau of Statistics data showed on Tuesday, beating expectations but still underlining the toll exacted by a stringent "zero-COVID" policy.
There were even rumours the BOJ might hold an emergency meeting on Monday as it struggles to defend its new yield ceiling in the face of massive selling.
Following gains for Wall Street indexes overnight, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.5% and touched an almost seven-month high.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was 0.28% higher, while Japan's Nikkei gained 1%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.80%.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.02% in early trade.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.5% to a five-month top, with South Korean shares gaining 2.1%.
Following are details of the price cuts
Japan's Nikkei rose 0.39%, while South Korea's Kospi jumped 0.77%. Australia's stock benchmark was 0.56% higher.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1% to touch a four-month high in morning trade. Japan's Nikkei bounced off a three-month low.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.91%, set for a third straight day of gains for the year. The index fell 20% in 2022. Japan's Nikkei lost 1.12% in early trade, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index rose 1.28%.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell another 1.3%, having lost a fifth of its value last year.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.06%, and was set for a third straight week of losses.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slid 0.13%, snapping a two-day winning streak and looking set to end the last month of the year in the red.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slid 0.69%, snapping a two-day winning streak. Wall Street's major averages closed lower on Thursday with the technology-heavy Nasdaq dropping 2%.
In a surprise, U.S. consumer confidence rose to an eight-month high in December as the labour market remained strong. Inflation expectations fell to 6.7%, the lowest since September 2021, courtesy of falling gas prices.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.2% after U.S. stocks ended the previous session lower. The index is down 0.1% so far this month.
Interest rates went up in Europe, Britain, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Mexico and Taiwan on Thursday, following a U.S. rate hike on Wednesday and central bankers' vows to keep on raising rates until inflation is tamed had markets worried about a potential recession.
U.S. Treasury yields remained depressed and the curve deeply inverted as traders continued to fret that tighter policy will trigger a recession. The U.S. dollar languished near a six-month low against major peers.
Nervousness about policymakers' next moves, though, kept the mood in check ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting later in the day and central bank meetings in Britain and Europe on Thursday. Investors are also turning watchful on China's reopening.