Wall Street stocks dipped in early trading as US earnings season unofficially began. Major US. bank fourth-quarter profits fell, and an S&P 500 bank index was down 0.9%.
Strategists led by Michael Wilson said in a note on Monday that they expect earnings to rebound sharply, with a 23% jump next year.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was trading less than 0.1% higher early Tuesday.
So far, more than 10 percent of S&P 500 companies mostly from the financials, technology, consumption and industrial sectors have reported earnings.
Robust economic growth expectations, lower real policy interest rate and relatively limited spread between US high bond yields and treasury temper any concern on inverted yield curve
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit record intraday highs for the second day in a row on Tuesday as market volatility dropped to a decade low following Emmanuel Macron's victory in the French presidential election and strong U.S. corporate earnings.
Global cues are positive with the US stocks closing off session highs as a renewed decline in oil and disappointment on Disney earnings pressured stocks.
The People`s Bank of China (PBoC) reduced the reserve requirement ratio for banks by 100 basis points on Sunday - its second cut in two months. That followed data on Saturday showing home prices dropped for the eleventh straight month in March.
Shane Lee, Director, Economist & Strategist - Equity Research, CIMB says US equities are in for a rough ride. Since September, when the US market first started correcting, geopolitical tensions have escalated, US earnings and the scenario in Europe have been a drag.
The S&P 500 is gaining 6 points to 1,698 at the opening bell - further bolstered by the reaction afforded results from Boeing and Ford - a move that leaves Wall Street's premier barometer on course for a record close.
The yen fell to new multi-year lows on Tuesday, pressured by the Bank of Japan's aggressive reflationary campaign, while Asian equities looked for support from a solid start to the US quarterly earnings season.
Wall Street may be bracing for a pullback as US earnings season begins next week - if the clouds of profit warnings from bellwethers ranging from FedEx to Hewlett-Packard lead to a downpour of lower profits - or even losses.
Investors are about to find out if the economic woes in Europe are going to deliver a deep wound to US company earnings instead of the mere scratch that many expect.
Japan's Nikkei climbed for a second straight session on Thursday, helped by robust US earnings including expectation-smashing results from Apple Inc.
The upcoming US earnings season may not be the time for investors to buy aggressively, because this year's winners already reflect earnings optimism.
Stronger-than-expected Chinese growth data spurred concern on Thursday about tighter monetary policy, prompting a sell-off in equities led by emerging markets.
The Nikkei average rose to its highest close in eight months on Thursday, buoyed by gains in undervalued financial shares and advances in European and US stocks after a successful bond auction in Portugal eased fears over the eurozone debt crisis.
