Asia-Pacific markets to open lower due to U.S. uncertainty

Asia-Pacific markets are expected to open lower today, following declines in U.S. stocks. Uncertainty about the U.S. economy continues to affect investor confidence. In Australia, the market opened flat. Japan's Nikkei 225 futures suggest a lower start after the market returned from a holiday. The Chicago futures are currently at 37,490, while Osaka's last traded at 37,450. This is down from the Nikkei's previous close of 37,751.88. Additionally, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures are at 24,065, lower than the last close of 24,219.95. In Japan, headline inflation rose by 3.7% year on year in February. This marks a decrease from January's two-year high of 4%. Meanwhile, U.S. stock futures are flat after a brief recovery attempt on Wednesday. Overnight, U.S. markets fell, with the S&P 500 down 0.22% and closing at 5,662.89. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.33% to end at 17,691.63, largely due to losses in major stocks. The Nasdaq Composite dipped slightly, closing at 41,953.32. Despite ongoing concerns, there's a slight increase in optimism among individual investors regarding the stock market's outlook. A recent survey showed bullish opinions rose to 21.6%, up from 19.1% last week, but still below the historical average. Meanwhile, bearish views remain high at 58.1%. Many surveyed believe a recession is likely this year. Nearly 75% of those polled think a recession is at least somewhat likely, with over half saying the odds are higher than typical. On a brighter note, homebuyers are reentering the market, leading to a better-than-expected increase in home sales in February compared to January. However, sales were still down 1.2% from last year.