Asian shares
wobbled on Thursday as investors braced for any surprises from the UK
election, a European Central Bank policy meeting and congressional
testimony from ex-FBI director James Comey who was fired by President
Donald Trump last month.
MSCI's
broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was
little changed, through China edged up on unexpectedly solid trade data,
while Japan's Nikkei .N225 dropped 0.4 percent.
European shares were expected to open steady to slightly firmer, with spread-betters looking at a 0.2 percent rise in Germany's DAX .GDAXI and a flat opening in Britain's FTSE .FTSE.
Wall Street shares ticked up on Wednesday, despite sharp declines in energy prices, after written testimony from Comey did not add major revelations about an investigation into Russian meddling with last year's U.S. presidential election.
The British pound GBP=D4 held firm at $1.2957, near its highest levels in two weeks, supported in part by polls showing Prime Minister Theresa May is on course to increase her majority in parliament.
The pound gained as much as 4 percent after May called a snap election seven weeks ago, as polls had initially suggested a landslide win for her Conservative party that would give the prime minister a stronger hand in Britain's negotiations on leaving the European Union.
Yet traders are cautious given the Brexit shock last year and as her once-commanding lead over the Labour Party and its veteran hard-left leader Jeremy Corbyn has been narrowing through the campaign.
Ahead of the UK vote results, the European Central Bank will meet, with a policy announcement due at 1145 GMT, followed by President Mario Draghi's news conference at 1230 GMT.
With no policy change expected, market players are focusing on how the central bank may alter its economic assessment and policy guidance in light of a strengthening euro zone economy.
ECB policymakers are set to take a more benign view of the economy and will even discuss dropping some of their pledges to ramp up stimulus if needed, sources with direct knowledge of the discussions have told Reuters.
The euro EUR= traded at $1.1259, near its seven-month high of $1.1285 touched earlier this month.
The dollar stayed near its seven-month low against a basket of currencies as doubts over Trump's ability to push through his stimulus plans have eroded the greenback's gains made late last year.
The dollar index stood at 96.713 .DXY =USD, near Wednesday's seven-month low of 96.511.
Against the yen, the U.S. currency faltered to 109.40 yen JPY= not far from Wednesday's
1-1/2-month low of 109.115 as Japanese Government Bond yields rose partly on speculation about the Bank of Japan's exit strategy from stimulus.
European shares were expected to open steady to slightly firmer, with spread-betters looking at a 0.2 percent rise in Germany's DAX .GDAXI and a flat opening in Britain's FTSE .FTSE.
Wall Street shares ticked up on Wednesday, despite sharp declines in energy prices, after written testimony from Comey did not add major revelations about an investigation into Russian meddling with last year's U.S. presidential election.
The British pound GBP=D4 held firm at $1.2957, near its highest levels in two weeks, supported in part by polls showing Prime Minister Theresa May is on course to increase her majority in parliament.
The pound gained as much as 4 percent after May called a snap election seven weeks ago, as polls had initially suggested a landslide win for her Conservative party that would give the prime minister a stronger hand in Britain's negotiations on leaving the European Union.
Yet traders are cautious given the Brexit shock last year and as her once-commanding lead over the Labour Party and its veteran hard-left leader Jeremy Corbyn has been narrowing through the campaign.
Ahead of the UK vote results, the European Central Bank will meet, with a policy announcement due at 1145 GMT, followed by President Mario Draghi's news conference at 1230 GMT.
With no policy change expected, market players are focusing on how the central bank may alter its economic assessment and policy guidance in light of a strengthening euro zone economy.
ECB policymakers are set to take a more benign view of the economy and will even discuss dropping some of their pledges to ramp up stimulus if needed, sources with direct knowledge of the discussions have told Reuters.
The euro EUR= traded at $1.1259, near its seven-month high of $1.1285 touched earlier this month.
The dollar stayed near its seven-month low against a basket of currencies as doubts over Trump's ability to push through his stimulus plans have eroded the greenback's gains made late last year.
The dollar index stood at 96.713 .DXY =USD, near Wednesday's seven-month low of 96.511.
Against the yen, the U.S. currency faltered to 109.40 yen JPY= not far from Wednesday's
1-1/2-month low of 109.115 as Japanese Government Bond yields rose partly on speculation about the Bank of Japan's exit strategy from stimulus.
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