The region’s indexes advanced off the back of positive US inflation data though China’s Covid woes continued to weigh

Worries over another surge in US inflation dampened the mood across the region’s trading floors before the Christmas break

The aftershock from the BOJ’s surprise bond yield change was still being felt too with bargain-buyers moving in

Investors were still buoyed by the Bank of Japan’s shock move to loosen its leash on government bond yields but China’s Covid woes weighed too

Japan's main share gauge closed at a more than two-month low while China’s indexes were under pressure again as its hospitals struggled to cope with a virus surge

Investors were in downbeat mood at the end of the week as central banks around the world upped interest rates and warned of more to come

Investors were in gloomy mood after the Fed signalled there will be more rate hikes next year even if the US economy goes into reverse

But investors remained cautious despite price rises apparently cooling in the US with central bank chiefs still to meet this week

Investors were bracing themselves for more interest rate hikes from the US following the latest consumer prices report out of the States

The region’s indexes began the week on the back foot with worries over inflation and the US Fed’s next move distracting traders

Gains were capped, though, by the overwhelmingly gloomy global picture and threat of recession in 2023

Hong Kong’s benchmark index was boosted by news its government was poised to roll back more Covid restrictions but fears of recession dominated elsewhere