Several of the leading indices are starting Monday tentatively. At lunchtime, the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Nikkei 225 is just above break-even, while the broader Topix is down 0.6 percent.
In China, the trend is similar - but in the opposite direction. The Shanghai stock exchange is up 0.6 percent, while Shenzhen is up 1.0 percent.
The Hong Kong-based Hang Seng rose 1.6 percent.
Oil prices are also moving cautiously. Brent oil futures for October are up 0.5 percent and now cost $88.96 per barrel, CNBC reports.
The Kospi in South Korea is closed due to a public holiday.
