China will cut billions of dollars in taxes and fees, increase infrastructure investment, and step up lending to small firms, Premier Li Keqiang said, as the government boosts stimulus to shore up an economy growing at its slowest pace in 30 years

Asian stocks edged higher Wednesday, with positive sentiment kept in check after a Wall Street advance fizzled as investors found little in Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's Congress testimony to extend the recent rally.

Asian stocks traded mixed Tuesday with little direction after a muted session in Europe and a holiday in the U.S. The dollar edged higher alongside Treasury yields.

Stocks began the week on a cautious note as doubts on the possibility for progress ahead of a potentially pivotal week for U.S.-China trade talks crept back into markets.

A closely-watched index of Australian business conditions weakened sharply in December as sales, profits and employment all took a turn for the worse, a disappointing end to the year that will only add to concerns for 2019.

Stocks extended their slump in early Asian trade on Monday, with U.S. equity futures off to a softer start for the week as worries over U.S.-China trade tensions battered investor sentiment.

Monday is building up to be a big day for Wall Street, as U.S. stock market futures surged out of the gate Sunday.

Asian stocks and U.S. equity futures posted modest gains on Monday on hopes of solid U.S. holiday sales, though plunging oil prices fanned worries about a dimming outlook for the global economy.

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