In Asian Equity Markets stocks got off to a strong start to the week, tracking stateside gains in the last session on expectation-topping jobs data. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 was up 1.43 percent, or 305.94 points, after recording a more than 400-point gain earlier. Over in Seoul, the benchmark Kospi index advanced 1.12 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index advanced 1.53 percent, or 472.96 points, as energy and tech names led broad-based gains. Index heavyweight Tencent was up 2.06 percent. Mainland markets also traded higher, but saw slighter gains: The Shanghai composite edged up by 0.51 percent and the Shenzhen composite added 0.81 percent.

In Currency Markets the US dollar held firm against the yen on Monday after gaining late last week on news of higher-than-expected U.S. jobs growth in February. The strong U.S. jobs growth data was counterbalanced by slower increases in wages, resulting in traders sticking to bets that the Fed would raise interest rates three times this year, with only around a one-in-four chance seen for a fourth rate hike in 2018. The dollar held steady at 106.80 yen after having risen 0.5 percent on Friday to pull further away from a 16-month low of 105.24 yen set on March 2. The euro held steady at $1.2309, holding below a near three-week high of $1.2447 set on Wednesday.

In Commodities Markets oil markets edged up on Monday on the back of a decline in the number of U.S. rigs drilling for more production and as the U.S. economy continued to create jobs, which industry hopes will drive higher fuel demand. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $62.10 a barrel, up 6 cents, or 0.1 percent. Brent crude futures were at $65.58 per barrel, up 9 cents, or 0.1 percent, from their previous close. In oil markets, U.S. energy companies last week cut oil rigs for the first time in almost two months, with drillers cutting back four rigs, to 796, Baker Hughes energy services firm said on Friday.

In US Equity Markets stock indexes climbed almost 2 percent and the Nasdaq closed at a record high, as February’s jobs report assuaged fears of inflation and aggressive interest rate hikes. The S&P 500 gained 1.74 percent, to 2,786.57 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.79 percent, to 7,560.81. Goldman Sachs Group Inc shares were up 1 percent after the Wall Street Journal reported Lloyd Blankfein is preparing to step down as the bank’s chief executive as soon as the end of the year. Among bigger movers, toymakers Hasbro and Mattel were lower after sources told Reuters that retailer Toys ‘R’ Us is preparing for a potential liquidation.

In Bond Markets Japanese government bond prices were little changed on Monday, with downward pressure from higher stocks neutralised by the Bank of Japan’s regular debt-buying operation. The five-year and 10-year JGB yields were unchanged at minus 0.120 percent and 0.045 percent, respectively. The 30-year yield inched up half a basis point to 0.760 percent.The BOJ on Monday bought 710 billion yen ($6.66 billion) of five- to 40-year JGBs as part of its regular debt-purchasing scheme.