European Shares Likely To Open On Firm Note

The China stock market has moved higher in back-to-back sessions, advancing almost 50 points or 1.3 percent along the way. The Shanghai Composite Index now sits just above the 3,920-point plateau although it may be stuck in neutral on Tuesday.

The Australian stock market is trading modestly lower on Tuesday, extending the losses in the previous session, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street overnight. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is falling to near the 8,600 level, with a mixed performance across most sectors ahead of the domestic interest rate decision later in the day.

The Taiwan stock market has moved higher in five straight sessions, gathering almost 950 points or 3.5 percent along the way. The Taiwan Stock Exchange now sits just above the 28,300-point plateau although investors figure to lock in gains on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is flat to lower ahead of the FOMC meeting later this week. The European markets were mixed and little changed and the U.S. bourses were soft and the Asian markets figure to split the difference. The TSE finished sharply higher on Monday following gains from the financial shares and technology stocks. For the day, the index rallied 322.89 points or 1.15 percent to finish at the daily high of 28,303.78 after trading as low as 28,026.39. Among the actives, Cathay Financial collected 0.44 percent, while Mega Financial sank 0.73 percent, CTBC Financial dipped 0.16 percent, First Financial rose 0.36 percent, Fubon Financial added 0.63 percent, E Sun Financial soared 4.40 percent, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company rallied 2.40 percent, United Microelectronics Corporation improved 0.82 percent, Hon Hai Precision gained 0.43 percent, Largan Precision tumbled 1.87 percent, Catcher Technology tanked 2.98 percent, MediaTek climbed 1.05 percent, Novatek Microelectronics shed 0.52 percent, Formosa Plastics lost 0.59 percent, Asia Cement perked 0.13 percent and Delta Electronics and Nan Ya Plastics were unchanged. The lead from Wall Street is weak as the major averages opened mixed but quickly headed south and spent the balance of the session well under water.

The Singapore stock market has tracked lower in three straight sessions, slipping almost 50 points or 1.2 percent along the way. The Straits Times Index now sits just above the 4,500-point plateau and it's expected to open in the red again on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is flat to lower ahead of the FOMC meeting later this week. The European markets were mixed and little changed and the U.S. bourses were soft and the Asian markets figure to split the difference. The STI finished modestly lower on Monday following losses from the financial shares, property stocks and industrial issues. For the day, the index shed 24.28 points or 0.54 percent to finish at 4,507.08 after trading between 4,502.88 and 4,534.44. Among the actives, CapitaLand Ascendas REIT slumped 0.72 percent, while CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust plunged 1.72 percent, City Developments declined 0.96 percent, Comfort DelGro surrendered 1.39 percent, DBS Group fell 0.35 percent, DFI Retail Group plummeted 2.20 percent, Hongkong Land and SembCorp Industries both tanked 1.50 percent, Keppel DC REIT and SingTel both lost 0.44 percent, Keppel Ltd stumbled 1.27 percent, Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust and UOL Group both skidded 0.70 percent, Mapletree Industrial Trust sank 0.49 percent, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation retreated 1.00 percent, SATS dropped 0.58 percent, Seatrium Limited shed 0.47 percent, Singapore Technologies Engineering added 0.24 percent, United Overseas Bank slipped 0.23 percent, Venture Corporation climbed 1.14 percent, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding tumbled 1.17 percent and Wilmar International, Yangzijiang Financial, Genting Singapore, Thai Beverage, CapitaLand Investment, Mapletree Logistics Trust and Frasers Centrepoint Trust were unchanged.

The Malaysia stock market has moved lower in four straight sessions, sinking more than 15 points or 0.9 percent along the way. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index now sits just above the 1,610-point plateau and it may take further damage again on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is flat to lower ahead of the FOMC meeting later this week. The European markets were mixed and little changed and the U.S. bourses were soft and the Asian markets figure to split the difference. The KLCI finished slightly lower on Monday following losses from the financials, industrials and plantations, while the telecoms were mixed. For the day, the index slipped 3.74 points or 0.23 percent to finish at 1,612.78 after trading between 1,601.50 and 1,616.49. Among the actives, 99 Speed Mart Retail fell 0.57 percent, while AMMB Holdings slid 0.49 percent, while Axiata surged 3.17 percent, Celcomdigi shed 0.61 percent, CIMB Group eased 0.13 percent, Gamuda and SD Guthrie both dropped 0.76 percent, IHH Healthcare jumped 1.31 percent, IOI Corporation plunged 2.19 percent, Kuala Lumpur Kepong retreated 1.36 percent, Maxis spiked 1.86 percent, Maybank lost 0.59 percent, MISC and YTL Corporation both tanked 1.88 percent, Nestle Malaysia gained 0.45 percent, Petronas Chemicals plummeted 3.40 percent, Petronas Dagangan sank 0.62 percent, Petronas Gas declined 1.28 percent, PPB Group tumbled 1.57 percent, Press Metal rallied 1.19 percent, Public Bank slipped 0.46 percent, QL Resources skidded 0.99 percent, RHB Bank contracted 0.82 percent, Sime Darby slumped 1.05 percent, Sunway soared 2.76 percent, Telekom Malaysia rose 0.13 percent, Tenaga Nasional added 0.47 percent, YTL Power stumbled 1.82 percent and MRDIY and Hong Leong Bank were unchanged.

The Japanese stock market ticked higher again on Monday, one session after snapping the three-day winning streak in which it had rallied more than 1,700 points or 3.4 percent. The Nikkei 225 now sits just above the 50,580-point plateau although it may hand back those gains on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is flat to lower ahead of the FOMC meeting later this week. The European markets were mixed and little changed and the U.S. bourses were soft and the Asian markets figure to split the difference. The Nikkei finished modestly higher on Monday as gains from the automobile producers and technology stocks were capped by weakness from the financial sector. For the day, the index added 90.07 points or 0.18 percent to finish at 50,581.94 after trading between 50,224.65 and 50,678.05. Among the actives, Nissan Motor accelerated 3.08 percent, while Mazda Motor perked 0.18 percent, Toyota Motor advanced 0.92 percent, Honda Motor added 0.56 percent, Softbank Group stumbled 3.27 percent, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial slumped 1.23 percent, Mizuho Financial collected 0.05 percent, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial sank 0.83 percent, Mitsubishi Electric soared 3.42 percent, Sony Group dropped 0.74 percent, Panasonic Holdings gained 0.41 percent and Hitachi improved 0.57 percent. The lead from Wall Street is weak as the major averages opened mixed but quickly headed south and spent the balance of the session well under water.

The South Korea stock market has finished lower in two of three trading days since the end of the two-day winning streak in which it had jumped more than 115 points or 2.9 percent. The KOSPI now sits just above the 4,150-point plateau and it's tipped to open under water again on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is flat to lower ahead of the FOMC meeting later this week. The European markets were mixed and little changed and the U.S. bourses were soft and the Asian markets figure to split the difference. The KOSPI finished sharply higher on Monday following gains from the technology stocks, automobile producers and chemicals, while the financial sector was soft. For the day, the index jumped 54.80 points or 1.34 percent to finish at the daily high of 4,154.85 after moving as low as 4,081.26. Volume was 392 million shares worth 15.1 trillion won. There were 550 decliners and 314 gainers. Among the actives, Shinhan Financial tanked 2.74 percent, while KB Financial stumbled 2.14 percent, Hana Financial slumped 1.26 percent, Samsung Electronics climbed 1.01 percent, Samsung SDI rallied 2.11 percent, LG Electronics cratered 2.61 percent, SK Hynix surged 6.07 percent, Naver dipped 0.20 percent, LG Chem vaulted 1.31 percent, SK Innovation spiked 2.53 percent, POSCO Holdings expanded 2.57 percent, SK Telecom dropped 0.92 percent, KEPCO sank 0.96 percent, Hyundai Motor perked 0.16 percent, Kia Motors accelerated 1.62 percent and Lotte Chemical and Hyundai Mobis were unchanged.

The Reserve Bank of Australia will wrap up its monetary policy meeting on Tuesday and then announce its decision on interest rates, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. The RBA is widely expected to leave its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 3.60 percent.