In Asian Equity Markets indices mostly traded higher Tuesday morning. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.52% while the Topix gained 0.93%. Shares of airliner ANA, however, fell more than 0.5% following a Nikkei report that the firm is expected to report a more than 20% decline in profit. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong advanced 0.17%. South Korea’s Kospi also added 0.1%. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia rose fractionally. Mainland Chinese stocks, on the other hand, lagged in the region. The Shanghai composite declined 0.3%.

In Currency Markets both the dollar and riskier Asian currencies held on to modest overnight gains on Tuesday, amid hopes for an easing in Sino-U.S. trade tensions and as investors waited for direction from this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The Aussie kept its gains to stand just under a five-day peak at $0.6842, while the greenback held on to its progress against the yen to stand at 108.96 yen per dollar, just below a three-month high hit overnight. The dollar was steady against the euro at $1.1096

In Commodities Markets oil prices edged lower in quiet trade on Tuesday as concerns about slower economic growth overshadowed signs of a thawing in the trade war between Washington and Beijing, while investors awaited U.S. inventory data. Brent futures were down 3 cents at $61.54 a barrel, having fallen 0.7% on Monday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 9 cents at $55.72, after falling 1.5% in the previous session. Prices rose last week amid a decline in U.S. inventories and signs of an easing in the U.S.-China trade war.

In US Equity Markets technology stocks pushed the benchmark S&P 500 index to an all-time high and the Nasdaq close to its record level, as a possible U.S.-China trade deal and rising bets on a third rate cut by the Federal Reserve fueled optimism. Shares of Microsoft Corp gained more than 2% and provided the biggest boost to all three main indexes after the technology giant won the Pentagon’s $10 billion cloud computing contract, beating Amazon.com Inc. The S&P 500 was up 0.51%, at 3,038.09 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.82%, at 8,311.04.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields were higher on Monday ahead of an expected interest rate cut at this week’s Federal Reserve policy meeting and as the latest Brexit developments boosted the British pound and market appetite for risk. The European Union agreed to a three-month flexible Brexit delay on Monday but the British parliament rejected Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s bid to end the political paralysis with a Dec. 12 election. The benchmark 10-year yield was last up 4.4 basis points at 1.846%, with the 30-year yield up 4.5 basis points at 2.338%.