CAC 40 Edges Higher Led By Banks

The Australian dollar strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday.

Australia's consumer confidence weakened in January but things are expected to improve, survey results from Westpac showed on Tuesday. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index declined 0.7 percent to 92.1 in January from 92.8 in December. Among five sub-indices of consumer confidence, the two indicators tracking current conditions declined.

Indian benchmark stock indices Sensed and the Nifty50 are up in positive territory Tuesday morning with several counters attracting bargain hunting after four successive days of losses. Data showing a drop in the nation's consumer price inflation in the month of December is contributing as well to the positive mood in the market.

Asian stock markets are trading mostly higher on Tuesday, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight, as markets in the region cheered news that President-elect Donald Trump's economic team is discussing a cautious and slow approach in implementing tariff hikes to avoid an inflation spike. The US dollar also weakened against most of the currencies in the region.

Higher GIFT Nifty futures point to a positive start for Indian shares on Tuesday. Investors are also likely to react positively to data showing a drop in consumer price inflation in the month of December. Some bargain hunting is likely as well after four successive days of declines.

The Australian stock market is trimming its early gains in mid-market trading on Tuesday, after snapping the three-session losing streak, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index moving above the 8,200.00 level, with gains in mining and energy stocks partially offset by weakness in financial and technology stocks.

The Thai stock market moved lower again on Monday, one session after halting the two-day slide in which it had stumbled almost 30 points or 2.2 percent. The Stock Exchange of Thailand now sits just beneath the 1,355-point plateau and it may find renewed support on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky, with support from the oil companies likely offset by weakness from the technology shares. The European markets were down and the U.S. bourses were mostly higher and the Asian markets figure to split the difference. The SET finished sharply lower on Monday following losses from the food, consumer, property, service and technology sectors, while the financials offered support. For the day, the index dropped 13.65 points or 1.00 percent to finish at 1,354.34 after trading between 1,349.02 and 1,362.14. Volume was 9.462 billion shares worth 43.022 billion baht. There were 342 decliners and 146 gainers, with 178 stocks finishing unchanged. Among the actives, Advanced Info fell 0.35 percent, while Thailand Airport plummeted 3.00 percent, Asset World plunged 3.66 percent, Banpu surged 4.81 percent, Bangkok Bank jumped 1.64 percent, Bangkok Dusit Medical increased 0.84 percent, Bangkok Expressway lost 2.14 percent, B. Grimm declined 1.16 percent, BTS Group gained 1.69 percent, CP All Public tumbled 1.80 percent, Charoen Pokphand Foods retreated 1.36 percent, Energy Absolute cratered 10 percent, Gulf shed 0.85 percent, Kasikornbank strengthened 1.57 percent, Krung Thai Bank collected 1.38 percent, Krung Thai Card dropped 0.99 percent, PTT Exploration and Production spiked 2.01 percent, PTT Global Chemical sank 0.87 percent, SCG Packaging climbed 1.13 percent, Siam Commercial Bank improved 1.68 percent, Siam Concrete stumbled 1.62 percent, Thai Oil accelerated 2.00 percent, True Corporation slumped 1.79 percent, TTB Bank rallied 2.22 percent and PTT Oil & Retail and PTT were unchanged.

The Japanese stock market is modestly lower in post-holiday trading on Tuesday, extending the loses in the previous three sessions, with the Nikkei 225 falling well below the 38,700 level, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight, with weakness across most sectors led by index heavyweights, financial and technology stocks.