Asian markets ended little changed today (30 August 2023). So, Japan's Nikkei-225 index gained 0.3 percent; South Korea's Kospi index rose 0.4 percent and China's Shanghai Composite index ended marginally higher. But, the Hong Kong's Hang Seng index ended marginally lower and Singapore's Straits Times index shed 0.1 percent.

In Europe, London's FTSE-100 had added 0.4 percent but France's CAC-40 and Germany's DAX had declined 0.3 percent, each, in intra-day trade.

In the economic data released today, German import prices fall by 13.2%, year-on-year, in July, the sharpest drop since January 1987, suggesting inflationary pressures acting on the eurozone's largest economy are retreating rapidly.

The August eurozone CPI release is due later this week, and is expected to fall to 5.1%, from 5.3% in July.

ECB President Christine Lagarde has reportedly hinted that the region's central bank will pause its rate-hiking cycle in September, a view that was hardened by a sharper-than-expected contraction in eurozone business activity.