Asian stock markets weaken ahead of U.S. inflation data. Investors looking for clues about the Federal Reserve’s next expected moves on interest rates sent Asian stock markets down on Monday.

After U.S. equities finished the previous session with moderate gains, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside of Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was down 0.4%.

Both the.AXJO index of Australian stocks and the.N225 index of Japanese stocks were down by 0.25 percent.

The unexpected resignation of outgoing CEO Daniel Zhang from the cloud division of Alibaba Group led to a 3.1% loss in share price, dragging down the Hang Seng Index (.HSI) in Hong Kong by 1.4%. Chinese stocks’ benchmark CSI300 Index (.CSI300) rose 0.37 percent.

On Wednesday, August, CPI data for the United States will be released. Wells Fargo predicts annual inflation will jump to 3.6% in August after increasing 0.6% month over month.

According to CME group’s FedWatch Tool, investors are pricing in a 93% likelihood that the Fed will retain rates at current levels after its next meeting concludes on September 20 and a 53.5 % probability for another pause at the November meeting.

Economists from ANZ noted on Monday that “hawkish FOMC speakers have indicated that it may be appropriate to hold in September” and that “the committee wants time to digest incoming data.”

According to the authors, “the extent of monetary restraint in the economy encourages us to think that it will decelerate, not reaccelerate, from here.”

The yield on 10-year Treasury notes increased to 4.2939% from Friday’s 4.256% at the U.S. market close. The benchmark 2-year Treasury note yield reached 5.0033%, up from the U.S. finish of 4.984% on Friday.

Consumer pricing index (CPI) growth of 0.1% year over year in August eased deflationary pressures in China. This was far better than the 0.3% drop in July, albeit slower than the consensus projection of 0.2% growth in a Reuters survey.

The decline in Chinese manufacturing pricing was likewise the lowest in five months. After a 4.4% reduction in July, the producer price index dropped another 3.0% from a year earlier, which aligned with predictions.

After strikes at important Australian liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, which produce 5% of the world’s production, energy markets across the globe are keeping a close eye on how Chevron Corp. (CVX.N) negotiates with its employees.

Since the first reports of probable labor unrest surfaced in August, gas prices in Europe have fluctuated wildly.

After five days of discussions yielded no agreement on Friday, rumors of the impending strikes drove up gas prices by as much as 14 percent.

On Monday, the value of the dollar fell to 147.21 yen. It is nearing its all-time high of 147.87, reached on September 9.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies of other key trade partners, fell by 0.057% to 104.79, while the European single currency rose by 0.1% to $1.0709 on the day, having lost 1.22% during the previous month.

U.S. crude fell by 0.59 percent to $86.99 a barrel. The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil dropped by $0.44 to $90.21.

The current price of gold on the spot market is $1,918.3663 per ounce, a little increase over yesterday’s price.