A key US jobs report due on Friday saw many investors stay on the sidelines and regional markets react to domestic cues

Investors will be listening keenly to Jerome Powell when he speaks at a central bank event in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Weak consumer demand in China though cast a shadow, putting the brakes on any surges in equities across the region

Equities across the region fell into the red on Wednesday as investors held back ahead of the release of key US jobs data

Increased hopes that the US will dodge a recession and shortening odds on a Fed rate cut soon encouraged risk-taking

A wave of positivity over the US economy and possible rate cuts lifted equities across the region but also fired Japan’s currency higher

Tokyo’s benchmark has seen its best week in more than four years while Hong Kong stocks followed in Wall Street’s wake

Fresh inflation data reassured investors the US Federal Reserve could finally start cutting rates next month

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s announcement that he will step down next month after a patchy three years boosted markets

Tokyo bounced back into life after Monday’s holiday while China and Hong Kong stocks were forced to work hard for small gains

Many investors remained on the sidelines ahead of key data announcements out of both China and the US this week

Japanese equities came under pressure again as domestic chip stocks followed an overnight slide on Wall Street