Sensex, Nifty Down Sharply As Stocks Fall For 2nd Straight Session

At 12:30 am ET in the Asian session on Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia will announce its monetary policy decision on interest rates. The RBA is widely expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 4.35 percent.

Indian shares were marginally higher on Tuesday amid optimism that the U.S. Federal Reserve may start cutting interest rates later this year.

Asian stock markets are trading mixed on Tuesday, following the broadly positive cues from global markets overnight, on renewed optimism over the outlook for interest rates, with traders growing increasingly confident about a rate cut in the coming months and largely eliminating short-lived concerns the US Fed might actually consider raising rates. Asian markets closed mostly higher on Monday.

The value of retail sales in Australia was down a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent on month in March, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday - coming in at A$35.663 billion.

Recouping the losses in the previous two sessions, the Japanese stock market is significantly higher in post-holiday trading on Tuesday, with the Nikkei 225 moving well above the 38,600 level, following the broadly positive cues from global markets overnight, with gains across most sectors led by Index heavyweights and technology stocks.

Indian shares are seen opening on a flat note Tuesday after some officials said interest rates were likely to remain unchanged in the near term.

Ahead of Monday's holiday for Coronation Day, the Thai stock market has bounced higher again, one day after ending the two-day winning streak in which it had added almost 10 points or 0.7 percent. The Stock Exchange of Thailand now sits just beneath the 1,370-point plateau and it's likely to move higher again on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is upbeat on renewed optimism over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were firmly higher and the Asian markets are predicted to open in similar fashion. The SET finished modestly higher on Friday as gains from the resource, service and technology stocks were tempered by weakness from the food and finance companies. For the day, the index added 6.67 points or 0.49 percent to finish at 1,369.92 after trading between 1,364.26 and 1,372.72. Volume was 12.500 billion shares worth 37.541 billion baht. There were 256 gainers and 190 decliners, with 217 stocks finishing unchanged. Among the actives, Thailand Airport rose 0.38 percent, while Bangkok Bank fell 0.37 percent, Bangkok Dusit Medical gathered 0.87 percent, Bangkok Expressway jumped 1.82 percent, B. Grimm spiked 2.91 percent, CP All Public sank 0.85 percent, Charoen Pokphand Foods dropped 0.98 percent, Energy Absolute rallied 2.48 percent, Gulf gained 0.61 percent, Krung Thai Bank collected 0.60 percent, Krung Thai Card climbed 1.17 percent, PTT Oil & Retail advanced 1.08 percent, PTT accelerated 1.50 percent, PTT Global Chemical increased 1.00 percent, Siam Concrete strengthened 1.62 percent, Thai Oil added 1.41 percent, True Corporation improved 1.24 percent and TTB Bank, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, PTT Exploration and Production, SCG Packaging, Asset World, Advanced Info, Banpu and BTS Group were unchanged. The lead from Wall Street is broadly positive as the major averages opened higher on Monday and remained firmly in the green throughout the trading day.

The Indonesia stock market has moved higher in two straight sessions, collecting almost 20 points or 0.3 percent along the way. The Jakarta Composite Index now sits just above the 7,135-point plateau and it's expected to open to the upside again on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is upbeat on renewed optimism over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were firmly higher and the Asian markets are predicted to open in similar fashion. The JCI finished barely higher on Monday following gains from the resource stocks and a mixed picture from the financial sector. For the day, the index perked 1.17 points or 0.02 percent to finish at 7,135.89 after trading between 7,102.69 and 7,178.77. Among the actives, Bank CIMB Niaga slumped 1.37 percent, while Bank Mandiri jumped 2.03 percent, Bank Danamon Indonesia skidded 1.11 percent, Bank Negara Indonesia fell 0.41 percent, Bank Central Asia shed 0.51 percent, Bank Rakyat Indonesia collected 0.84 percent, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison advanced 0.94 percent, Indocement skidded 1.04 percent, Semen Indonesia rallied 1.51 percent, United Tractors perked 0.08 percent, Astra International tanked 2.39 percent, Energi Mega Persada dropped 0.97 percent, Aneka Tambang strengthened 1.68 percent, Vale Indonesia soared 5.41 percent, Timah surged 3.45 percent, Bumi Resources spike 3.00 percent and Astra Agro Lestari and Indofood Sukses Makmur were unchanged.