Investing.com – Asian stock markets were mixed on Tuesday, as investors awaited key interest rate decisions by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.
South Korea's Kospi Composite Index dropped 0.09%; the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.53%; and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.28%, shortly before the European trading session.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.27%, after minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia's March policy meeting showed that officials at the central bank believed it was appropriate for rates to rise gradually this year towards normal, a level said to be around 4.75%.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.28%, meanwhile, as the Bank of Japan began a 2-day policy-setting meeting in Tokyo.
Automakers were among the top performers, with Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s second-largest automaker, climbing 4.4% and Toyota Motor Corp., Japan’s largest automaker, gaining 1.28% percent.
The outlook for European markets was somewhat rosier: France’s CAC 40 futures indicated a rise of 0.61%; Germany's DAX futures pointed to an increase of 0.55%; EURO STOXX 50 futures indicated a gain of 0.53%; and Britain's FTSE 100 futures pointed to a rise of 0.52%.
Later in the day, the European Union was set to publish inflation data on the euro zone, and the ZEW research institute was due to release its key German Economic Sentiment index.
South Korea's Kospi Composite Index dropped 0.09%; the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.53%; and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.28%, shortly before the European trading session.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.27%, after minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia's March policy meeting showed that officials at the central bank believed it was appropriate for rates to rise gradually this year towards normal, a level said to be around 4.75%.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.28%, meanwhile, as the Bank of Japan began a 2-day policy-setting meeting in Tokyo.
Automakers were among the top performers, with Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s second-largest automaker, climbing 4.4% and Toyota Motor Corp., Japan’s largest automaker, gaining 1.28% percent.
The outlook for European markets was somewhat rosier: France’s CAC 40 futures indicated a rise of 0.61%; Germany's DAX futures pointed to an increase of 0.55%; EURO STOXX 50 futures indicated a gain of 0.53%; and Britain's FTSE 100 futures pointed to a rise of 0.52%.
Later in the day, the European Union was set to publish inflation data on the euro zone, and the ZEW research institute was due to release its key German Economic Sentiment index.