Asia stocks make cautious gains in early trade Monday

SYDNEY: Asian share markets edged cautiously higher on Monday while the dollar stayed under pressure ahead of packed week of economic data that will test investor hopes for a pick up in the US, and global, economy.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was steady in morning trade. It gained 0.9% last week to be just under multi-month highs, aided by the prospect that interest rates in the major economies will remain near zero for many months to come.