• The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 47.81 points, or 0.23 percent, to 21,136.23, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 6.77 points, or 0.28 percent, to 2,429.33 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 20.63 points, or 0.33 percent, to 6,275.06.
Major U.S. stock indexes ended near session lows on Tuesday as traders shied away from risky assets ahead of major political and economic headlines expected on Thursday.
• Britain's general election as it maps its exit from the European Union, the European Central Bank's policy meeting and former FBI Director James Comey's testimony before a Senate panel could all affect investor sentiment.
• Safe-havens were bid up as traders sold out of stocks. Spot gold XAU= rose 1.1 percent to $1,293.47after earlier touching its highest since November, while U.S. 10-year Treasury yields US10YT=RR touched a session low of 2.129 percent, their lowest level since the days following the November U.S. Presidential election.
• Gold and sovereign debt are set to build on solid overnight gains while Asian stocks are likely to slip on Wednesday as investors reduce risk before several major political and economic events later this week.
• MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS edged 0.2 percent lower, retreating further from a two-year high hit on Monday. Early Asian markets such as Australia and Japan .N225 are pointed lower.
• The Nikkei 225 was down by 0.17 percent in early trade. South Korea's Kospi re-opened for trade after a public holiday to trade lower by 0.11 percent.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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