· European stock futures were slightly lower, suggesting a subdued opening for the region, with DAX futures slightly higher and FTSE futures up 0.2 percent.
· Asian shares pared gains on Tuesday, pulling away from the cusp of a record high, while the yen stole the currency spotlight and jumped after the Bank of Japan’s slight reduction to its bond purchases reminded investors that it will eventually normalize policy.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was nearly flat in afternoon trade after earlier rising as high as 591.28, not far from its record peak of 591.50 scaled in November 2007.
· Japan’s Nikkei stock index added 0.6 percent to close at its highest level since November 1991, catching up to the previous session’s gains as markets reopened after a holiday on Monday.
Against the yen, the dollar erased its early modest gains and fell 0.3 percent to 112.74 following a drop as low as 112.50, after Japan’s central bank trimmed its purchases of Japanese government bonds (JGBs).
· China stocks extended a rally to an eighth straight day, with major indexes ending at their six-week highs, helped by gains from consumer and healthcare firms.
At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was up 5.35 points or 0.16 percent at 3,414.83.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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