On Wednesday Asian Indices is mild under pressure as investors seized on Apple Inc's earnings and comments from its chief that U.S.-China trade tensions were easing, sending the iPhone maker's shares soaring in after-hours trade.
Investors are also looking to the outcome of the Federal Reserve's rates review later in the day, with expectations policymakers will reinforce their recent dovish stance given signs of a slowdown in the U.S. economy.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.05%.
British lawmakers rejected most amendments that sought to avoid Britain leaving the European Union without a deal, reviving worries of a chaotic withdrawal from the European Union.British lawmakers on Tuesday instructed Prime Minister Theresa May to reopen a Brexit treaty with the European Union to replace a controversial Irish border arrangement - and promptly received a flat rejection from Brussels.
On Tuesday Wall Street shares dipped, with S&P 500 losing 0.15% as technology-related shares were dogged by a string of weak earning results while a rebound in 3M and other industrials helped the Dow Jones Industrial Average squeeze out small gains. Apple shares rose 5.7% after the bell as the iPhone maker reported sharp growth in its services business.
CEO Tim Cook, who is in regular contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, also said trade tension between the United States and China is easing in January.That helped to boost optimism around current high-level trade talks between the two countries, even though many investors remain skeptical whether the economic giants can bridge their differences over a number of issues, including intellectual property rights and technology transfers.
China's Vice Premier Liu He is in Washington this week to meet U.S. officials, including Trump.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Tuesday he expected to see significant progress in talks with Chinese officials and that U.S. charges against telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd were a separate issue.
In contrast, gold rose to 8-1/2-month highs of $1,312 per ounce, helped by flight-to-quality bids.
Oil prices held firm after the United States imposed sanctions on state-owned, U.S. crude futures rose more than 2% on Tuesday and last stood at $53.29 per barrel.
Venezuelan oil company PDVSA, a move likely to reduce the OPEC member's crude exports and relieve some global oversupply worries.
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