Stock Market Live Updates: SGX Nifty signals a muted start; Asian shares trade mixed

Asian stocks edged lower on Tuesday as the prospect of the U.S. central bank having to stay on its hawkish path weighed on sentiment, with investors looking to the minutes of the latest Federal Reserve meeting for further monetary policy clues. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.34% to 531.85, hovering around six-week lows of 529.30 it touched last week.

The Brent crude benchmark opened slightly lower on Tuesday as the U.S. dollar strengthened and traders waited for cues from the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting minutes, after optimism over demand amid tightening supplies drove prices higher on Monday. Brent crude was down 59 cents, or 0.5%, at $83.57 a barrel on Tuesday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) for March, which expires on Tuesday, was up 78 cents, or 1.02%, at $77.12 at 0146 GMT.

Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange traded 6.5 points, or 0.04 per cent, higher at 17,871.50, signaling that Dalal Street was headed for a muted start on Tuesday.

Indicating further weakness from current levels, the headline index Nifty on Monday formed a long bear candle with a minor upper shadow on the daily charts.

Tokyo stocks opened lower on Tuesday in cautious trade, with a dearth of market-moving clues as US bourses were closed for a public holiday.

The rupee appreciated by 9 paise to close at 82.73 against the US dollar on Monday, as the American currency retreated from its six week high levels in the global markets.

The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex declined 311 points or 0.51% to settle at 60,691. The broader NSE Nifty dropped 100 points or 0.56% to end at 17,845.