In Asian Equity Markets stocks were mixed on Tuesday and currencies held tight ranges as nervous investors awaited several key central bank meetings that could set the tone for risk appetite heading into next year. MSCI’s gauge of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan recovered early losses to be 0.8 percent higher, with Japan’s Nikkei edging 0.2 percent lower and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 down 0.6 percent. Chinese shares opened slightly lower, with local blue chips trading down 0.09 percent, though the Hong Kong benchmark was up 1.8 percent. South Korea’s KOSPI index opened 1.50 percent higher.

In Currency Markets Australia’s dollar weakened on Tuesday after the country’s central bank dampened investor hopes for a hawkish pivot, kicking off a big week for monetary policy that includes decisions from the Federal Reserve and Bank of England. The Aussie fell as much as 0.47 percent before trading 0.23 percent lower at $0.75025. New Zealand’s kiwi dollar also softened, losing 0.18 percent to $0.71705. Sterling was on the back foot, falling 0.07 percent to $1.3649. The euro also edged 0.07 percent lower to $1.15995. The dollar weakened 0.07 percent to 113.915 yen.

In US Equity Markets stocks were little changed on Monday, hovering near record highs, as gains for energy shares and Tesla were countered by declines in the tech sector, and investors looked to a major Federal Reserve meeting later in the week. The Dow rose 0.13 percent, to 35,865.6, the S&P 500 lost 0.09 percent, to 4,601.24 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.21 percent, to 15,530.83. Harley-Davidson Inc shares jumped 8 percent after the European Union removed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products, including whiskey, power boats and company’s motorcycles.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell on Monday as China’s release of gasoline and diesel reserves eased concerns over tight global supply, while investors cashed in ahead of a meeting Thursday of major crude producers that could increase future production targets. Brent crude rose 1.1 percent to $84.63 a barrel, while U.S. crude rose 0.59 percent at $84.06 a barrel. Spot gold was up 0.6 percent at $1,793.48 per ounce, while silver rose 0.7 percent to $24.01 per ounce. Platinum jumped 4.4 percent to $1,062.56 per ounce and palladium also climbed 2.6 percent to $2,054.69, having risen over 3 percent earlier.

In European Equity Markets stocks finished at record highs on Monday, carrying over momentum from October’s gains on the back of strong earnings and as expectations of interest rate hikes supported bank stocks. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed up 0.7 percent at a record high of 478.87 points, boosted by a 1.4 percent jump in bank stocks, as euro zone bond yields rose on expectations of rate hikes by the European Central Bank (ECB) next year. The bank-heavy Italian and Spanish indexes rose 1.2 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively, while the German DAX added 0.8 percent.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields were mixed on Monday as the federal government disclosed an increased borrowing need this quarter, while the market looked ahead to the likely announcement by the Federal Reserve that it will commence tapering its asset purchases. The benchmark 10-year yield was last up 1.2 basis points at 1.568 percent. The two-year yield, which hit a 19-month peak last week, was last up 1 basis point at 0.5051 percent. The five-year yield, another part of the curve that is sensitive to Fed rate expectations, was last less than a basis point lower at 1.1864 percent.