FTSE China A50 Index Futures Close Down 0.15% at 13,730

A 0.15% overnight move in A50 futures is close to noise, but the A50's role as the offshore proxy for large-cap A-shares means it often sets the tone before the mainland open. That makes the direction of the cash market at the open, rather than the futures print itself, the more informative signal. Whether the modest softness carries into Shanghai and Shenzhen trading or is absorbed without follow-through is the open question.