GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia Shares Rally on Hopes for More Rate Cuts This Week

ASIAN MARKET - SYDNEY. Asian share markets rose on Monday as investors looked forward to a rate cut in Europe, and quite possibly Canada, as the next step in global policy easing, though sticky inflation threatens to make the process a drawn out affair.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is considered almost certain to trim rates by a quarter point to 3.75% on Thursday, the first time in history it would have eased ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve. 0#ECBWATCH