Asian stocks advanced at Thursday’s open, tracking gains in US peers after more evidence of a slowing job market boosted the case for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates next week.

MSCI Inc.’s gauge of Asian equities rose 0.2%. US stock futures were steady after the S&P 500 climbed 0.3% and the Nasdaq 100 added 0.2% on Wednesday.

A gauge of the dollar was little changed after dropping 0.4% in the previous session that also saw US treasuries rise across the curve, pushing two-year yields down to around 3.48%. Bitcoin slipped, hovering near $93,000 after a two-day rally.

Data on Wednesday showed US companies shed payrolls in November by the most since early 2023, reinforcing concerns about a more pronounced labor market weakening. Swaps pricing indicated rising expectations for a

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