By Gina Lee
Investing.com – Asia Pacific stocks were mostly up on Tuesday morning, and U.S. Treasury remained high, as investors’ focus remains on inflation that could prompt central banks to hike interest rates quicker than expected.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.52% by 9:02 PM ET (2:02 AM GMT) and South Korea’s KOSPI was up 0.38%.
In Australia, the ASX 200 was down 0.43% and the Reserve Bank of Australia released the minutes from its November meeting earlier in the day.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 0.58%.
China’s Shanghai Composite inched down 0.01% while the Shenzen Component inched up 0.01%, as a virtual summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden got underway.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield remained above 1.60% as expectations increased that the U.S. Federal Reserve could hike interest rates earlier than expected.
Persistently high inflation, and growing doubts on whether the pressures will be temporary, have seen global shares halt a rally near record highs. Even central bank leaders are worried, with Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey saying he’s “very uneasy about the inflation situation.”
However, some investors remained cautiously optimistic. “Inflation will likely get the Fed hiking quickly but then they can stop after a few hikes and markets can calm down,” Oanda senior market analyst Edward Moya said in a note.
“At some point, the Fed will have to tighten financial conditions” and so some investors are hesitating about “remaining full tilt with stocks," the note added.
Thomas Barkin, Esther George, Raphael Bostic, and Patrick Harker, heads of the Fed Banks of Richmond, Kansas City, Atlanta, and Philadelphia, will speak later in the day at various events.
Other Fed officials will speak later in the week, with Fed Vice Chairman Richard Clarida and Fed Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly due to speak at Friday’s Asia Economic Policy Conference.
The suspense about the top Fed position also continues, with Senate Banking Chairman Sherrod Brown saying he was told to expect an “imminent” announcement about Biden’s pick to chair the central bank. Contenders include current chairman Jerome Powell and Fed Governor Lael Brainard.
On the data front, Monday's NY Empire State Manufacturing Index was a stronger-than-expected 30.90 in November. U.S. retail sales figures will also be released later in the day and the Eurozone consumer price index is due on Wednesday.