Asian markets ended Tuesday mixed after a losing overnight session on Wall Street. Investor focus is on later this week, when the U.S. will release inflation data that could inform investors of potential interest rate moves. The US Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index is the Fed’s favored inflation gauge and could give clues to the first rate cut in the U.S. Also coming up Friday is the latest Chinese manufacturing data, which could help improve investor sentiment if it shows the Chinese economy beginning a recovery.

Japan’s Nikkei barely hung in record territory, ending the session just slightly higher by less than 0.1%. January data showed inflation falling for a third consecutive month, sparking speculation that the Bank of Japan could begin raising rates as early as March. Shares of Softbank Group rose by 2.4%, while Sony retreated by 0.8%. Among the major exporters Toyota gained 0.5%, while Panasonic and Canon both finished 1.8% higher.

In Australia the S&P/ASX 200 edged higher by 0.1%, helped by strength from the big four banks. Shares of ANZ and NAB were 0.5% higher each, Commonwealth Bank added 1%, and Westpac advanced by 0.8%. The major miners showed more modest gains, with BHP up by 0.2% and Rio Tinto tacking on 0.5%.

Mainland Chinese markets outperformed the region as the benchmark Shanghai Composite gained 1.3% and the smaller cap Shenzhen Composite rallied 2.2% higher. Over in Hong Kong the Hang Seng took its lead from the mainland and advanced by 0.9%.

In South Korea the Kospi underperformed the region, losing 0.8% for the day, and in Taiwan the Taiex retreated by 0.5%.

Southeast Asian markets were mixed, with Malaysia’s KLCI up by 0.7% and Singapore’s Straits Times Index down by 0.4%.

The main U.S. stocks are without a clear market direction as the market rally took another breather.

The S&P-500 slipped 0.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 140 points, or 0.3%. The Nasdaq Composite added 0.1%.

Macy’s stock prices jumped more than 5% after announcing it would close around 150 of its trouble store locations.

Home prices rallied for the 11th consecutive month in December, as housing inventory remained very low.Prices soared 5.5% on a national basis in December when compared with the previous year.

Food price inflation sunk in February to its weakest mark of the last two years.

Food prices in February surged 5% versus last year, but that marked a loss from January’s 6.1%, and the lowest level since May 2022, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Consumer confidence dropped in February as worries jumped over a potential labor market slowdown.

AutoZone declared earnings of $28.89 per share on revenue of $3.85 billion.Its share prices popped 3%.

European markets are without a solid position today.

The German DAX inclined 81.40 or 0.47% from 17,504.FTSE-100 soared 4.30 or 0.06% from 7688.

The French CAC-40 surged 1.23 or 0.02% from 7,931.

The Stoxx 600 is without a solid direction at 9:20 a.m.Investment firm and asset manager Abrdn jumped 4.3% after declaring a loss of 5% in operating profit that nonetheless came over forecasts.

Shares of Scotland’s Abrdn inclined 4.8% at 9 a.m. in London, after the investment firm reported a 5% loss in adjusted operating profit to £249 million ($315.9 million).

Russia carried out a ban for six-months on gasoline exports from March 1 to keep prices stable amid growing domestic demand.

The ban, first reported by Russia’s RBC, was confirmed by a spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.