Asian shares saw modest gains on Monday as investors braced for important inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions. The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.3% to 29,444.14, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.5% to 7,844.50. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index climbed 0.4% to 18,143.37, and China’s Shanghai Composite surged 0.9% to 2,983.93. The dollar weakened slightly against the yen, trading at 146.00 yen. In commodities, oil prices increased by 1.5% to $81.50 per barrel. Overall, the market is cautiously optimistic, awaiting the inflation data’s potential impact on interest rates.