Asian stock
markets edged down on Tuesday following a flat close on Wall Street, as
investors searched for the next catalyst following France's presidential
election, while oil inched higher on expectations OPEC supply cuts will
be extended.
Financial spreadbetters expect Britain's FTSE 100, Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 to all open flat.
The South Korean stock market, which finished at a record high on Monday, is closed for Tuesday's presidential election.
Liberal Moon Jae-in is widely expected to win the presidency, following months of leadership vacuum after former President Park Geun-hye was removed on charges of bribery and abuse of power.
The polls opened at 6 a.m. (2100 GMT on Monday) and will close at 8 p.m. (1100 GMT). The winner is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday after the Election Commission releases the official result.
Allies and neighbors are closely watching the election amid escalating tensions over North Korea's accelerating development of weapons since it conducted its fourth nuclear test in January last year. It conducted a fifth test in September and is believed ready for another.
North Korea would be keen to see a Moon victory. Its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary on Monday the time had come to put confrontation behind the Koreas by ending conservative rule in the South.
The Korean won weakened 0.25 percent on Tuesday, with the dollar buying 1,135.52 won.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.2 percent on Tuesday.
Japan's Nikkei was slightly lower.
China's CSI 300 index retreated 0.3 percent in its sixth straight session of losses amid concerns over tighter financial regulations. Hong Kong's Hang Seng reversed earlier losses to trade up 0.35 percent.
Taiwan stocks pulled back to trade 0.25 percent lower on profit taking after earlier surpassing the 10,000-point mark to hit a two-year high.
The South Korean stock market, which finished at a record high on Monday, is closed for Tuesday's presidential election.
Liberal Moon Jae-in is widely expected to win the presidency, following months of leadership vacuum after former President Park Geun-hye was removed on charges of bribery and abuse of power.
The polls opened at 6 a.m. (2100 GMT on Monday) and will close at 8 p.m. (1100 GMT). The winner is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday after the Election Commission releases the official result.
Allies and neighbors are closely watching the election amid escalating tensions over North Korea's accelerating development of weapons since it conducted its fourth nuclear test in January last year. It conducted a fifth test in September and is believed ready for another.
North Korea would be keen to see a Moon victory. Its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary on Monday the time had come to put confrontation behind the Koreas by ending conservative rule in the South.
The Korean won weakened 0.25 percent on Tuesday, with the dollar buying 1,135.52 won.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.2 percent on Tuesday.
Japan's Nikkei was slightly lower.
China's CSI 300 index retreated 0.3 percent in its sixth straight session of losses amid concerns over tighter financial regulations. Hong Kong's Hang Seng reversed earlier losses to trade up 0.35 percent.
Taiwan stocks pulled back to trade 0.25 percent lower on profit taking after earlier surpassing the 10,000-point mark to hit a two-year high.
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