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Asia shares wobble, traders on guard as Japanese inflation tops forecast

Asian shares slipped on Tuesday, with somewhat warmerthanexpected Japanese inflation putting financiers on guard ahead of cost information due in Europe and the U.S. today, though bitcoin extended gains on indications that institutional purchasers are circling.

The yen steadied at 150.50 to the dollar and inched off a three-month short on the euro as Japanese inflation stayed at the central bank's 2% year-on-year target, keeping alive expectations it would exit unfavorable rates by April.

Tokyo's Nikkei eked a fresh record high, however closed just 0.01% firmer. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dipped 0.2%, keeping below last week's seven-month peak.

Brent unrefined futures hovered around $82.63 a barrel after reported Hamas received a draft Gaza truce proposition consisting of a 40-day pause in fighting.

S&P 500 pushed 0.1% lower while Nasdaq futures , FTSE futures and European futures each fell about 0.2%.

The Federal Reserve's favoured step of inflation - the core individual usage expenses (PCE) cost index - is due on Thursday and projections are for an increase of 0.4%.

If as anticipated, the core m/m reading would be the highest considering that last February and fit with the patience message from the Fed, stated analysts at ANZ Bank.

Rate jitters and massive auctions - $127 billion on Tuesday and another $42 billion on Wednesday - left Treasuries under pressure, though yields steadied in the Asia day.

Ten-year U.S. Treasury yields were last 1.4 basis points lower at 4.29%. Two-year yields fell 3 bps to 4.71%.

Markets have actually already pressed out the most likely timing of Federal Reserve easing from May to June, which is presently priced at around a 70% likelihood. Futures suggest a bit more than 3 quarter-point cuts this year, compared to five at the start of the month.

RBNZ RETREAT

Currency trade was fairly suppressed Asia, with current pressure on the Australian and New Zealand dollars extending. The Aussie touched a one-week low of $0.6525, squeezed by a tumble in iron ore prices, before a small healing to $0.6547.

The kiwi was likewise at a week-low as traders trimmed wagers that New Zealand's central bank may even trek interest rates when it meets on Wednesday.

With 9 bp priced, we see modest NZD weakness on the announcement, stated NatWest Markets currency strategist Antony George.

The euro held constant at $1.0850 and sterling inched down to $1.2676 with speculators trimming bullish bets. Bitcoin rose more than 3% to top $57,000.

Figures on inflation in the European Union are also due this week, on Friday, with the core gauge again seen slowing to the least expensive considering that early 2022 at 2.9% and bringing nearer the day when the European Central Bank (ECB) might reduce policy.

Markets are nearly fully priced for a first cut in June, with April viewed as a 36% opportunity. In speeches on Monday, ECB President Christine Lagarde and Bank of Greece Guv Yannis Stournaras once again pointed to a reticence to hurry into cuts

Bank of England deputy Dave Ramsden and Riksbank Guv Erik Thedeen appear in the future Tuesday while a smattering of primarily second-tier U.S. and European information are due consisting of consumer self-confidence for Germany, France and the U.S.

(source: Reuters)