Asian shares were subdued after Wall Street wobbled overnight with markets bracing for key U.S. inflation data on Wednesday, while an oil price spike stoked anxiety about persistent price pressures, complicating the interest rate outlook.
The euro edged higher and markets moved to favour a hike from Europe’s central bank on Thursday, following a Reuters report that the European Central Bank (ECB) expects inflation will stay above 3% next year in its updated forecasts, well above its target of 2%.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat while Tokyo’s Nikkei eased 0.2%.
