(MENAFN- FxPro) Asian shares fell on Monday as investors adopted a caution tone with focus sharpening on U.S. data and the Fed.
The Nikkei 225 fell 1.96% and the Shanghai Composited drooped 2.61%. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.52%.
In Asia, Japan said industrial output fell 0.6% in July, missing expectations as exports eased. Elsewhere, Australia said private sector credit rose 0.6%, better than expected, but business inventories in the second quarter came in flat, below a gain seen.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, fell 0.32% to 95.85.
In the week ahead, investors will be focusing on Friday's U.S. jobs report for August, which could help to provide clarity on the likelihood of a near-term interest rate hike.
Markets will also be watching surveys of the manufacturing and service sectors, factory orders and trade data from the world's largest economy for fresh indications on the timing of a rate hike.
Central bank meetings in the euro zone and Australia will also be in focus.
On Monday, the euro zone is to produce preliminary data on consumer price inflation, while Germany is to publish data on retail sales.
Switzerland is to publish its KOF economic barometer.
Canada is to report on the current account.
The U.S. is to release figures on manufacturing activity in the Chicago region.
Last week, U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Friday, as gains in the Oil & Gas, Basic Materials and Technology sectors led shares higher while losses in the Healthcare, Financials and Utilities sectors led shares lower.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.07%, while the S&P 500 index added 0.06%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.32% as comments from a senior Federal Reserve official indicated that the central bank could still raise interest rates next month despite the recent turmoil in global markets.
Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said it was still too early to determine whether to raise short-term interest rates from near zero, where they have been held since December 2008, at the bank's September meeting.
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