Asian shares hovered near four-month highs on Tuesday as investors took heart from some progress in Sino-U.S. trade talks, while the yen slipped as the Japanese central bank said it won't rule out further policy easing.
Spreadbetters pointed to a positive start for Europe while E-mini futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow were a shade weaker.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei nudged up 0.2 percent after holding flat for most of the day. Australian shares climbed 0.3 percent to a 4-1/2 month peak, after gaining over 8 percent so far this year partly on expectations the central bank could ease policy to temper pressure on growth.
Chinese shares skidded into the red after surging in the previous session, with the blue-chip index off 0.4 percent.
That left MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan down 0.1 percent, but still close to four-month highs reached last Wednesday.
Trade talks dominated headlines with a new round of negotiations between the United States and China expected in Washington on Tuesday, and follow-up sessions at a higher level later in the week.
Reports of progress in the talks have kindled hopes among investors that the two countries can reach a compromise in their trade war by a March 1 deadline, although few details from the talks have emerged.
President Donald Trump said last week he might extend the March 1 deadline, which would stop an immediate increase in tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent.
Reflecting changing sentiment, Chinese shares have risen rapidly so far this month, with MSCI's China A shares index up 6.5 percent, by far the best performance among major markets despite China's weakening economy.
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