"China's Stock Market Surges as Travel Data Signals Post-COVID Recovery"

China's stock market rallied 1.6% as it returned from the Lunar New Year break, buoyed by a surge in domestic tourism spending and rail journeys during the holiday period, signaling increased consumer confidence. However, concerns remain about the sustainability of this growth amidst deflationary pressures and a struggling property market. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 1.1%, Japan's Nikkei 225 remained steady, and European markets saw muted activity. Attention will turn to Wall Street later in the week as the Federal Reserve meeting minutes and Nvidia's quarterly results are awaited. In other news, Polymetal International shares fell after the gold miner announced plans to sell its Russian mining business, while Banco Santander proposed a 50% increase in its cash dividend and a €1.5 billion share buyback, lifting the Spanish banking sector.