TOKYO—Asian shares were mostly lower on Tuesday after a United States holiday. Investors were awaiting the release later in the day of minutes from the latest meeting of the US Federal Reserve.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 1.0 percent to finish at 21,925.10. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was virtually unchanged, inching down to 5,940.90. South Korea’s Kospi lost 1.1 percent to 2,415.12. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.3 percent at 31,034.04. Shares were mixed in Southeast Asia. Markets in mainland China were still closed for lunar new year holidays.
American markets were closed last Monday for Presidents’ Day.
Minutes are expected late Tuesday from the latest Federal Reserve meeting. Investors were also watching remarks in Japanese parliament from Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda. Kuroda was reappointed recently for another five-year term in a show of confidence in his ultra-easy monetary policy.
“The Fed’s sequence of interest-rate normalization should be the markets’ key focus this week, and the primary drivers of near-term volatility,” Stephen Innes, head of trading at OANDA said.
Benchmark US crude added 74 cents to $62.29 per barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, was down 13 cents at $65.54 a barrel. The euro slipped to $1.2379, from $1.2408. The dollar rose to ¥106.86 from ¥106.57.
Image credits: AP