Reuters - Asia share indexes rose but held their recent trading range Thursday as investors concentrated on U.S. inflation data and the risk of an upside surprise that could prompt the Federal Reserve to start tapering its stimulus.
In early Europe trade the pan-region Eurostoxx 50 futures added 0.52% and German DAX futures rose 0.1%, as did London's FTSE futures. U.S. stock futures, the S&P 500 e-minis, were up 0.32%.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained to 703.7 points, but stayed in the 698 points-712 points range it has traded in since late May.
Japan's Nikkei rose 0.3% while Australia's benchmark index finished 0.6% higher. Chinese shares gained with the blue chip index up 0.6%
Overnight, fixed income markets were the big movers, with some analysts pointing to a setback to more U.S. stimulus efforts, while others suggested a likely clearing out of short positions in U.S. government bonds ahead of the May consumer price index.
Short positions in Treasurys were the highest since 2018, according to JP Morgan positioning data last week.
The yield on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury notes slipped to 1.4891% from 1.528% late Tuesday. A fall below 1.47% would take yields to the lowest since March 4.
Also at play was some thought that hedge funds may have shifted their bond allocation, driven by lower volatility in the bond market recently, analysts said.
On Wall Street overnight, the S&P 500 came within a whisker of its all-time high set in May as big tech rallied along with health care stocks, but finished 0.1% lower. The Dow slipped 0.44% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.09%.
Markets are looking to the European Central Bank meeting later in the day where it will likely keep its policy guidance unchanged and publish updated euro area macroeconomic projections.
Also later in the world day, expectations are that data will show U.S. consumer pricves accelerated 0.4% in May, taking the annual pace to 3.4%, according to a Reuters poll.
"A significant upside surprise in inflation could tilt the Federal Reserve taper discussion to sooner rather than later, though the majority would still be looking for substantial progress toward maximum employment before considering tapering," ANZ economists wrote in a note.
So far though, "the market is buying into the Federal Reserve's view that the rise in prices is transitory and the Federal Reserve will not alter its policy guidance at next week's Federal Open Market Committee meeting," they added.
Analysts said the data would be key for gold as a higher print and the subsequent tapering fears could reduce the yellow metal's luster.
U.S. gold futures eased 0.3% to $1,889.50 an ounce.
Oil prices fell as inventory data in the U.S., the world's top oil consumer, showed a surge in gasoline stocks that indicates weaker-than-expected fuel demand at the start of summer, the country's peak season for motoring.
Brent crude futures fell 51 cents to 71.71 a barrel, while U.S. crude futures were 46 cents lower at $69.50 a barrel.
Activity was muted in the currency market with the dollar flat against the yen at 109.55.
The euro was a tad weaker at $1.2162 ahead of the ECB meeting while the British pound eased to $1.4105. The Aussie and New Zealand dollar barely changed.
That left the dollar index marginally firmer at 90.197.
