[MARKET UPDATE] Asia-Pac stocks begin mostly lower amid several bearish themes including partial US government shutdown, weak Chinese PMIs, NVIDIA halting USD 100bln OpenAI investment plan, although Japan bucks the trend on the Takaichi trade

Asia-Pac stocks begin mostly lower amid several bearish themes including partial US government shutdown, weak Chinese PMIs, NVIDIA halting USD 100bln OpenAI investment plan, although Japan bucks the trend on the Takaichi trade.

The decline in Asia-Pac stocks reflects a confluence of bearish developments, including a potential US government shutdown that raises uncertainty, disappointing Chinese PMIs indicating economic weakness, and NVIDIA's decision to pause a significant investment in OpenAI. While Japan's market shows resilience, the overall sentiment points to a risk-off stance as investors digest these negative signals, which could exert further influence on global markets and currencies, particularly in relation to the USD and JPY.