Markets diverge ahead of Powell speech

PARIS — Stock markets were mixed on Tuesday as investors treaded water ahead of a key speech by US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell that could provide more hints of an interest rate cut.

Gold broke to a fresh record above $2,520, a third successive day of new peaks, on Fed rate cut bets that would make the yellow metal more attractive to investors.

With recent data indicating that US inflation is slowing and labour market softening, there is widespread expectation the central bank will finally start next month to unwind its long-running tight monetary policy.

In New York, the Dow was slightly down in opening deals, while the wider S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq were barely higher.

In Europe, the main indexes were marginally lower, leaving them well up from the beginning of last week.

US shares rose strongly last week as economic data soothed fears of a recession, while still leaving the door open to interest rate cuts.

"Participants [are] once again embracing the soft landing scenario and the prospect of an imminent rate cut by the Federal Reserve. That consideration is effectively the best of both worlds," said Patrick O'Hare, an analyst at Briefing.com.

Earnings from US stores Target, Lowe's and TJX are also due this week, providing more insight into consumer confidence after reassuring retail sales figures last week.

But the main focus is Powell's remarks on Friday to the annual symposium of global central bankers at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he could give signals about the Fed's plans for borrowing costs.

Bets have surged that officials will cut rates by 25 basis points next month, with some even flagging 50 points, followed by two more before the end of the year.

Powell raised hopes for a move at the bank's most recent meeting when he said it could come "as soon as" September, having previously said the Fed did not need to wait for inflation to fall to its two-per cent target before reducing rates.

San Francisco Fed chief Mary Daly told the Financial Times she had "more confidence" inflation is being tamed following recent data.

Her Minneapolis Fed colleague Neel Kashkari said in the Wall Street Journal that the prospect of a weaker labour market made talk of a reduction appropriate.

Earlier in the day, Tokyo rallied 1.8 per cent, clawing back all Monday's losses, while Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Manila, Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta were also up.

However, Hong Kong and Shanghai retreated after recent advances, while Wellington also fell.

In company news, Tesla shares were up 1.3 per cent after the European Union said it would spare its China-produced cars the full brunt of anti-dumping tariffs it plans to impose on other Chinese EV imports.

Tokyo-listed 7-Eleven owner Seven&i Holdings dropped more than 10 per cent  a day after surging almost 23 per cent  on news it had received a takeover bid from Canadian retail giant Alimentation Couche-Tard, the operator of Circle K.

The deal, which could be worth as much as $38.6 billion, would mark one of the biggest foreign acquisitions of a Japanese firm.

The dollar continued to slip against the euro, yen and pound on expectations that the interest rate differential in favour of the greenback would narrow.

Crude prices steadied after plunging Monday over growing hopes for a Gaza ceasefire as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken continues talks with regional leaders.