Market Jitters: China's Vague Stimulus Leaves Investors in Suspense

Asian markets showed little movement amid uncertainty surrounding China's economic stimulus plans announced over the weekend. The lack of detailed information left investors wary about the sustainability of recent stock rallies and the overall extent of fiscal loosening promised by China's Finance Minister.

Asian stocks saw minimal changes in early, holiday-thinned trade on Monday, as investors remained anxious about how mainland China markets will respond to recent government stimulus announcements. The weekend pledges, though broad, were sparse in details, leaving markets uneasy.

Finance Minister Lan Foan promised a significant increase in debt but did not clarify the size of the stimulus, crucial for assessing the longevity of the stock market's recent gains. Chinese stocks had surged since the government's aggressive stimulus announcement last month, but the momentum has waned amid uncertainty.

In other developments, U.S. stock futures slightly declined, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures both edging down, as did European and UK futures. Meanwhile, China's growth outlook was further dampened by unexpected easing in consumer inflation in September, placing additional pressure for more stimulus measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)