SYDNEY: Asian markets were in a wary mood on Monday as hostilities in the Gulf kept oil prices elevated, complicating an inflation outlook that should keep most central banks on pause at policy meetings this week, barring one possible hike.

In a possible hint of hope, the Wall Street Journal reported the Trump administration plans to announce as early as this week that multiple countries have agreed to form a coalition to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump told the Financial Times it would be very ‌bad for the future ⁠of NATO ⁠if the allies did not help.

European Union foreign ministers will discuss on Monday bolstering a small naval mission in the Middle East, though any operation in the Strait would be fraught with risk.

Oil markets were cautious as Brent rose 0.1% to $103.27 a barrel, while U.S. crude fell 0.7% to $97.99.

Policymakers in the U.S., UK, Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada, Switzerland and Sweden hold their first full meetings since the start of the war, with energy prices looming over all of them.
“Central bank forecasts will immediately bias towards higher inflation and lower growth,” said Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan. “Consistent with this view, we have pushed back or removed action for most central banks that were expected to move in March and April.” “Developments on the ground highlight the potential for further price increases and the likelihood that the risk premium will remain elevated.”

Japan’s ⁠Nikkei dipped ‌0.1%, while South Korean stocks added 0.9% after both lost ground last week. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.1%.

Regionally, the focus will be on Chinese economic data out on Monday with retail sales seen picking up in February after a dismal start to the ⁠year, while growth in industrial output is forecast to stay around 5%.

Top U.S. and Chinese officials are also meeting in Paris to discuss potential deals in agriculture, critical minerals and managed trade for U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider in Beijing.

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S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures bounced 0.4% in choppy trading. While earnings season is over, concerns about AI will be front and centre as Nvidia hosts its GTC conference at Silicon Valley this week, where it is expected to show off the latest advances in chips and AI infrastructure.

The coming energy shock, combined with pressure on fiscal budgets from higher defence spending, saw bond yields globally suffer double-digit increases last week.

Ten-year Treasury yields were at 4.26%, having climbed 32 basis points since the war began, while futures have sharply scaled back the scope for future rate cuts.

The Federal Reserve ‌is considered certain to hold on Wednesday and the chance of an easing by June has come down to just 26%, from 69% a month earlier.

Investor attention will be on the tone of the statement and media conference, and whether the median “dot plot” projections from policymakers remove any further easing for this year.

A cautiously steady outcome ⁠is expected at all the other central bank meetings, bar the Reserve Bank of Australia which is seen likely to hike its cash rate a quarter point to 4.1% as it battles resurgent inflation at home.

The heightened volatility in markets has tended to benefit the U.S. dollar as a store of liquidity. The United States is also a net energy exporter, giving it a relative advantage over Europe and much of Asia which are net importers.

The dollar was trading a touch lower early Monday, partly in reaction to the report that shipping might be escorted through the Strait of Hormuz.

The dollar eased to 159.47 yen, just off a 20-month top of 159.75, with investors wary in case a break of 160.00 triggers more warnings of intervention from Japan.

The euro was stuck near a seven-month low at $1.1440 , threatening a breach of major chart support at $1.1392 that could unleash a retreat toward $1.1065.

In commodity markets, gold was little changed at $5,022 an ounce, having so far gotten scant support as a safe haven or as a hedge against inflation risks. (Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

Prudential plc has released a landmark regional study showing that financial confidence among Asian adults is highest in youth and declines steadily with age, raising urgent questions about retirement readiness and insurance coverage gaps.

Key takeaways

• Financial confidence declines with age. Asian adults aged 18 to 35 report the highest financial well-being scores, but confidence drops steadily as responsibilities and long-term uncertainties grow with age.
• Retirement readiness remains critically low. Only 22% of middle-class consumers feel confident about their retirement plans, with nearly 7 in 10 expecting to work beyond traditional retirement age out of financial necessity.
• Awareness of financial solutions lags behind need. Over 61% of middle-class respondents have never heard of family insurance plans, and only 18% feel they have the right financial tools to achieve long-term success.

Prudential’s inaugural Financial Wellbeing Index, which surveyed 7,707 adults aged 18 to 60 across eight Asian markets, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, found that adults aged 18 to 35 recorded the highest composite financial wellbeing score at 59.8 out of 100. Respondents aged 36 to 49 scored 58.2, while those aged 50 to 60 scored 57.7, marking a gradual but consistent decline across life stages. 

The regional average stood at 58.9, underscoring a troubling divergence between perceived comfort and actual financial preparedness. 

Short-Term Stability Masks Long-Term Anxiety

The index, conducted from September to December 2025, measures four key dimensions: present financial security, future financial security, present financial freedom, and future financial freedom. While respondents rated their present financial security at an average of 61.7, their confidence in future financial freedom dropped noticeably to 55.2, revealing a gap between managing today’s expenses and securing tomorrow’s independence.

The data paints a sobering picture. Only 34% of respondents said they would not need to continue earning income in retirement. Fewer than half, at 47%, felt secure about their financial future. Meanwhile, just 45% believed they could absorb a major unexpected expense without significant hardship.

Concerns also shift meaningfully by age. Younger adults aged 18 to 35 lean toward worries about job stability and family health risks, while those aged 50 to 60 are more preoccupied with deteriorating health and the spiralling cost of everyday essentials including food, utilities, and transport. 

A Region Divided: Vietnam Leads, Hong Kong Lags

Across the eight surveyed markets, stark disparities in financial well-being and access to financial services are evident.

Vietnam posted the highest overall score at 65.1, with 66% of respondents agreeing they have access to financial services and products that support long-term planning. Indonesia (62.0) and Thailand (60.4) also outperformed the regional average, with residents reporting stronger levels of financial knowledge and planning activity.

At the other end of the spectrum, Hong Kong registered the lowest financial well-being score at 52.5, with residents least satisfied with their access to financial products and services. Across all eight markets, a particularly stark finding stood out: only 18% of respondents strongly agreed they possess the financial tools needed to achieve long-term financial success, a signal of a deep and persistent gap between financial awareness and actionable solutions. 

Middle-Class Anxiety and the Retirement Divide

Parallel research from FWD Group and Sun Life reinforces the concerns raised by Prudential’s index, pointing to a widening retirement divide within Asia’s middle class.

Nearly 71% of middle-class respondents reported significant anxiety about their overall financial well-being, driven predominantly by the rising cost of daily living. FWD’s findings highlight healthcare expenses and sudden job loss as the most acute vulnerabilities, pushing many households to prioritise short-term financial targets over comprehensive, long-horizon retirement strategies.

Sun Life’s research draws a sharper distinction, identifying two divergent consumer profiles. “Gold Star Planners” are those who retire by choice, while “Stalled Starters” are those who delay retirement due to financial pressure. Approximately seven in 10 middle-class consumers expect to work beyond the traditional retirement age, with around 60% citing income necessity rather than personal fulfilment as the primary reason they remain in the workforce. Only 22% of middle-class consumers said they feel very confident in their retirement plans. 

Generational Squeeze: Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z Under Pressure

The research highlights how each generation faces its own distinct financial strain, compounding the broader retirement challenge.

Generation X is most acutely caught between obligation and aspiration, reporting the dual burden of funding children’s education while simultaneously building retirement savings in a persistently inflationary environment. Among this group, 62% worry their savings will not keep pace with inflation, and more than half rank guaranteed lifelong income as their top retirement priority.

Generation Y (Millennials) face what researchers describe as the “sandwich generation” challenge, with 85% of respondents supporting their parents while also raising children. Nearly half say they are unsure whether they can accumulate sufficient retirement savings while meeting these multi-directional obligations.

Generation Z is encountering financial strain earlier than any preceding cohort, with 53% expecting significant financial difficulties within the next five to ten years due to rising day-to-day expenses. Despite this, 81% of respondents stated that retirement should be a personal choice rather than tied to a mandatory age, reflecting a generational shift in how work and retirement are perceived. 

Advice Gaps and the Rise of AI-Driven Guidance

The surveys also highlight limited awareness of key insurance and wealth solutions across the region. More than 61% of middle-class respondents said they have never heard of family insurance plans, despite expressing strong interest in integrated, family-wide coverage options.

Advice-seeking behaviour is also changing in notable ways. One in five planners has used generative AI for retirement advice, double the share recorded the previous year. This rapid uptake signals growing demand for more accessible forms of financial guidance, alongside traditional advisory channels such as agents, bancassurance partners, and licensed financial planners. 

Insurers Respond with Education and Long-Term Planning Initiatives

Against this backdrop, Prudential and its peers are expanding financial education, advisory services, and long-term planning initiatives across the region.

Angel Ng, Regional CEO for Greater China and Group Customer, Wealth and Product at Prudential plc, said: “Longer lifespans across Asia are transforming expectations around financial wellbeing. Customers today are looking beyond financial products. They want confidence, clarity, and a partner who would guide them towards a future that they can genuinely look forward to.”

She added, “At Prudential, we believe financial planning is not just about preparing for later years. It is about enabling well-being at every stage of life. We are committed to empowering our customers and communities with the knowledge, advice, and protection to help them build resilience early, safeguard what matters through life’s transitions, and enjoy healthy, fulfilling, and financially confident longevity.”

Prudential’s Cha-Ching financial literacy programme, operating under the Prudence Foundation and targeting children aged 7 to 12, has reached more than 3.9 million students and teachers across Asia and Africa as it marks its 10th anniversary. The company is also developing a digital-first financial literacy programme for adults, aimed at broadening financial security and freedom across the region.

As financial pressures build across generations, insurers across Asia are moving beyond a narrow focus on risk transfer toward a wider role encompassing retirement income planning, decumulation strategies, and multi-generational financial support. The survey findings collectively suggest that this shift is not only commercially strategic but increasingly essential to the financial well-being of millions of households across the region. 

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