Investors are cautious as the Federal Reserve concludes its policy meeting, with the expectation that it will hold off on raising rates due to a softer US inflation report.
This has led to Asian shares struggling for traction and the dollar remaining subdued. Futures for the pan-regional Euro Stoxx 50, S&P 500, and Nasdaq were all down or flat, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan also 0.2% lower.
However, Tokyo's Nikkei continued to outperform, jumping 1.6% to a fresh 33-year high. Chinese blue chips rose 0.2%, marking the fifth straight session of gains, on hopes for more economic stimulus, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was 0.4% lower amid concerns about whether the stimulus would be enough to revive a faltering economy.
