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Asia stocks edge up on Nvidia hopes, NZ dollar dives

Asian shares edged higher on Wednesday as nervous financiers dared to hope AIdiva Nvidia could fulfill skyhigh expectations, while keeping a careful eye on the outlook for U.S. and UK rate of interest.

New Zealand's central bank offered a sobering assessment of its inflation issues, cautioning that rates would have to be higher for longer to bring them to heel in a shock to regional markets.

That saw the kiwi dollar dive 0.9% to a one-month high of $ 0.6151 as bond yields surged.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan firmed 0.4%, having already climbed for 4 straight weeks to reach a two-year top.

Japan's Nikkei reduced 0.6% as data showed a weak yen was improving exports however likewise stoking imported inflation and weighing on business belief.

EUROSTOXX 50 futures and FTSE futures both inched up 0.2%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were both a fraction firmer.

Markets are braced for fireworks when Nvidia reports after the bell, with options priced for a swing of 8.7%. in either instructions, worth $200 billion in market price.

Analysts wonder just how much more it can deliver considered that the. chip-maker already boasts a revenue margin of 77%, and its stock. is up 93% on the year so far.

Sentiment is rather favorable, with our bars well-above. agreement and a sense that management has actually left some in the tank. to amaze positively, said JPMorgan analyst Josh Meyers.

This recommends that it may take a huge advantage surprise, on. profits or clearer forward assistance, to get the stock moving. any greater.

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Minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's last meeting due later. in the day must validate the next relocation is still likely down,. however policy makers very first need more self-confidence that inflation has. resumed its downtrend.

Fed fund futures imply about a 66% opportunity of a rate. cut by September and have 43 basis points of reducing priced in. for this year.

Figures on UK inflation due later in the session could. decide whether the Bank of England eases as early as June, or. waits to August.

Projections are for core customer price inflation to slow to. 3.6% in April, from 4.2% in March, and anything lower would. narrow the chances on a June cut and likely pressure sterling.

The pound was holding simply except two-month highs at. $ 1.2712, while the euro was trading consistent at $1.0857. , just off its current top of $1.0895.

The dollar flatlined on the yen at 156.20 as the. danger of Japanese intervention stalled its advance.

Gold held company at $2,424 an ounce, after touching a. record high of $2,449.89 early in the week.

Oil prices slipped in the middle of concerns over the peak U.S. driving. season, considered that need was seasonally tracking at its least expensive. considering that 2020 and retail prices had actually fallen for 4 weeks in a row.

Brent crude fell 50 cents to $82.38 a barrel, and. the spread over futures narrowed even more, while U.S. crude. lost 54 cents to $78.12 per barrel.

(source: Reuters)