Asia markets set to fall ahead of Australia rate decision; inflation, business activity data expected

Asia-Pacific markets are set to fall ahead of Australia’s central bank’s rate decision, as well as inflation and business activity readings from across the region.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to hold its benchmark policy rate at 4.1% for the third straight month, according to a Reuters poll of economists.

In Australia, futures for the S&P/ASX 200 point to a lower open, at 7,277 compared to the last close of 7,318.8.

South Korea’s inflation rate for August came in higher than expected at 3.4%. Thailand and the Philippines are also expected to release inflation data Tuesday.

Investors will also be monitoring purchasing managers index readings from China, India and Hong Kong.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 is also set to fall, with the futures contract in Chicago at 32,910 and its counterpart in Osaka at the same level against the index’s last close of 32,939.18.

Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 18,719, pointing to a weaker open compared to the HSI’s close of 18,844.16.

U.S. markets were closed on Monday for the Labor Day holiday, but futures for the three major indexes were little changed, with Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 futures both marginally below the flatline and Nasdaq Composite slightly above.

— CNBC’s Sarah Min and Alex Harring contributed to this report