CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Asian stocks were trading mixed on Tuesday after the Trump administration moved toward imposing tariffs on about $11 billion in imports from the European Union, in response to the block's subsidies for aircraft maker Airbus.
Investors also watched fresh developments on the Brexit front and the renewed conflict in key oil producer Libya for directional cues.
British Prime Minister is heading for top level Brexit talks in Berlin and Paris after Parliament moved to take more control of the U.K.'s withdrawal from the EU.
The U.S. dollar sagged on the back of weak U.S. data, helping gold prices hit one-week high.
Oil prices slipped from five-month highs as a sluggish economic outlook countered concerns over armed conflict in Libya.
China's Shanghai Composite index was down 0.1 percent after a top White House official said the U.S. was 'not satisfied yet' about all the issues standing in the way of a trade deal. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was moving up 0.2 percent.
Japan's Nikkei index was losing 0.2 percent as the yen strengthened against the dollar. Benchmark indexes in South Korea and Australia were little changed while New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX-50 index was down 0.2 percent.
Shares of Crown Resorts jumped more than 20 percent in Australia after the casino operator confirmed talks with Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts over a $10bn cash-and-scrip takeover.
U.S. stocks ended mixed overnight as investors looked forward to major economic data and key earnings releases this week.
The Dow slid 0.3 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 0.2 percent and the S&P 500 inched up 0.1 percent.
European markets finished Monday's session mostly lower following a week of strong gains.
The pan European Stoxx 600 eased 0.2 percent. The German DAX dropped 0.4 percent and France's CAC 40 index edged down 0.1 percent, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 inched up 0.1 percent.
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