China LPR, Japan CPI, PMI, trade balance

Asia-Pacific markets were set to climb on Monday to kick-start a week packed with economic data from across the region.

China, which laid out measures to boost its property market Friday, will announce its one- and five-year loan prime rates later in the day. The five year LPR is a key reference rate for housing mortgages.

Later this week, investors will also look to trade, inflation and business activity data out from Japan, while Singapore will release its April inflation data and final figures for its first-quarter gross domestic product.

Futures for the Australian S&P/ASX 200 point to a stronger open at 7,876 compared with its last close of 7,814.4.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 could go either way based on futures data, with the futures contract in Chicago at 38,830 and its counterpart in Osaka both at 38,690 against the index’s last close of 38.787.38.

Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 19,704, pointing to a stronger open compared with the HSI’s close of 19,553.61.

On Friday in the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed Friday above the key 40,000 level for the first time.

The Dow first hit the 40,000 level during Thursday’s trading session, but cinched its first close over the threshold a day later when it added 134.21 points, or 0.3%, to end at 40,003.59.

The S&P 500 inched 0.1% higher Friday, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped by less than 0.1%.

This market rally should continue at least in the short term, according to Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors.

Artificial intelligence names are due to steal the spotlight this upcoming week, with Lee highlighting several potential catalysts, including the Microsoft Build event from Tuesday to Thursday stateside, and Nvidia’s fiscal first-quarter results due Wednesday afternoon.

— CNBC’s Lisa Kailai Han contributed to this report.