Asian Stocks Rise as Traders Bet Fed Won't Hike, Await US Jobs Data

Asian shares climbed as investors pared back expectations for a Federal Reserve interest-rate hike, a shift that lifted technology stocks across the region, according to Investing.com. Fed governor Christopher Waller's remarks helped calm bond markets ahead of the closely watched US jobs data. The rally in Asia comes even as long-term US interest rates have been rising for reasons unrelated to near-term Fed policy, a separate Seeking Alpha analysis noted, pointing to debate over whether the increase reflects healthy growth expectations or concern about fiscal sustainability. The two dynamics — easing near-term hike bets but rising long-term yields — are not necessarily contradictory, since they can reflect different parts of the yield curve responding to different pressures. The US jobs report remains the next major data point that could move both the hike-bet calculus and long-term yield trends.