Enter the Dragon, Messi Mania, China Tech: Sunday Asia Briefing

Nations around the region from China to Singapore are gearing up for the start of the year of the dragon, traditionally the luckiest and most auspicious of the 12 animals in this zodiac (and also the only mythical one). Here’s hoping, eh?

The big earnings. China tech giants Alibaba and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. report amid a cautious backdrop after choppy US tech earnings, with SMIC offering a steer on the country’s demand for smartphones and consumer electronics. In Japan, SoftBank could end a string of four quarterly losses, while the nation’s big automakers also report with Toyota expected to post record sales. DBS and Mitsubishi UFJ will shine a light on regional banking.