Investing.com– Most Asian stocks crept lower on Tuesday, cooling from recent gains as investors awaited more cues on interest rates this week, while Indian shares tumbled from record highs after early vote counting showed the BJP did not clinch as wide a victory as expected.
Regional stocks took middling cues from a mixed overnight close on Wall Street. While technology stocks rose tracking gains in NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:), broader markets were muted amid signs of cooling economic activity.
U.S. stock futures were flat in Asian trade, with focus turning squarely towards upcoming labor data for more cues on interest rates.
A string of central bank meetings are due in the coming days. The and the are set to cut rates this week, while the is set to keep rates steady next week.
India’s Nifty 50 slides as Modi heads for narrow 2024 win
India’s index slid 2.3%, while the lost 2.6%, with both indexes tumbling from record highs hit on Monday.
Early vote counting showed that the incumbent BJP party was poised for a less sweeping win in the 2024 general elections than the exit polls had suggested, with the opposition, the Indian National Congress, gaining some ground in the country’s lower house.
While a BJP victory still presented an unprecedented third consecutive term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a smaller majority will see Modi face more difficulty in doling out reforms and infrastructure spending.
Broader Asian markets rangebound before more rate cues
Broader Asian markets moved in a flat-to-low range, as anticipation of U.S. labor data and a string of key central bank meetings kept sentiment subdued.
Japan’s index fell 0.5%, while the broader lost 0.4%.
Australia’s fell 0.1% following a batch of weak economic readings. A survey showed Australian companies clocked weaker-than-expected in the first quarter, while the country slipped into a deficit in the quarter.
to the gross domestic product also shrank 0.9% in the quarter, presenting a weak outlook for due on Wednesday.
China’s rose 0.3%, while the fell 0.1% following mixed signals from key purchasing managers index data over the past two sessions.
Technology-heavy indexes also retreated from strong gains in the prior session. South Korea’s fell 0.4%, while Hong Kong’s index tread water.
