Investing.com - Japan stocks rose in Asia on Wednesday after data showed exports rose 18.4% in November, beating expectations of 17.9%, and aided by a weaker yen.
The Nikkei rose 1.3% in morning trade while South Korea's Kospi gained 0.3%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.1% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.6% while the Shanghai Composite was down less than 0.1%.
Ahead on Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will outline its views on the scope for tapering its USD85 billion a month bond-buying program that has buoyed stock markets this year.
Views are mixed on whether the Fed will act now or wait until early next year.
Overnight, U.S. stocks edged lower as investors jumped to the sidelines to await the Federal Reserve's Wednesday announcement.
Tame inflation data failed to give markets an indicator as to whether or not monetary authorities will begin to trim bond purchases in 2013 or in 2014.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.06%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.31%, while the Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.14%.
The Department of Labor reported earlier that the U.S. consumer price index came in flat in November after falling 0.1% in October. Analysts were calling for a 0.1% uptick.
The annual rate of inflation rose 1.2% in November, just shy of expectations for 1.3% reading but still up from a four-year low of 1.0% in October.
U.S. core inflation, stripped of volatile food and energy items, rose 0.2% in November from October, beating expectations for a 0.1% gain, while the year-on-year rate for November rose 1.7%, which met consensus forecasts.
Markets took the data in stride, keeping an eye on Wednesday, when the Fed will release its statement on interest rates and monetary policy.
While most expect the Fed to announce plans to trim assets now or in a couple of months down the road, many opted to remain on the sidelines before taking in the Fed's decision and language.
European indices, meanwhile, finished lower.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 1.11%, France's CAC 40 fell 1.24%, while Germany's DAX 30 fell 0.86%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 finished down 0.55%.
On Wednesday, stocks will move on the Fed's statement on U.S. monetary policy. Elsewhere, the U.S. is to release data on building permits and housing starts.
The Nikkei rose 1.3% in morning trade while South Korea's Kospi gained 0.3%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.1% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.6% while the Shanghai Composite was down less than 0.1%.
Ahead on Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will outline its views on the scope for tapering its USD85 billion a month bond-buying program that has buoyed stock markets this year.
Views are mixed on whether the Fed will act now or wait until early next year.
Overnight, U.S. stocks edged lower as investors jumped to the sidelines to await the Federal Reserve's Wednesday announcement.
Tame inflation data failed to give markets an indicator as to whether or not monetary authorities will begin to trim bond purchases in 2013 or in 2014.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.06%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.31%, while the Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.14%.
The Department of Labor reported earlier that the U.S. consumer price index came in flat in November after falling 0.1% in October. Analysts were calling for a 0.1% uptick.
The annual rate of inflation rose 1.2% in November, just shy of expectations for 1.3% reading but still up from a four-year low of 1.0% in October.
U.S. core inflation, stripped of volatile food and energy items, rose 0.2% in November from October, beating expectations for a 0.1% gain, while the year-on-year rate for November rose 1.7%, which met consensus forecasts.
Markets took the data in stride, keeping an eye on Wednesday, when the Fed will release its statement on interest rates and monetary policy.
While most expect the Fed to announce plans to trim assets now or in a couple of months down the road, many opted to remain on the sidelines before taking in the Fed's decision and language.
European indices, meanwhile, finished lower.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 1.11%, France's CAC 40 fell 1.24%, while Germany's DAX 30 fell 0.86%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 finished down 0.55%.
On Wednesday, stocks will move on the Fed's statement on U.S. monetary policy. Elsewhere, the U.S. is to release data on building permits and housing starts.