*** Below gives key levels of markets at...>

SNAPSHOT: *** Below gives key levels of markets at the start of the Asia-Pac

session:

- Nikkei 225 down 17.8 points at 21630.52

- ASX 200 down 21.038 points at 6695.1

- JGB 10-Yr future down 21 ticks at 153.40, yield up 1.4bp at -0.121%

- Aussie 10-Yr future down 9.5 ticks at 98.565, yield up 9.6bp at 1.429%

- U.S. 10-Yr future down 0-02 ticks at 126.29+, yield down 1.05bp at 2.1273%

- WTI crude up $0.26 at $60.47, Gold up $1.99 at $1405.74

- USD/JPY up 7 pips at Y108.57

* FED'S BRAINARD SEES CASE FOR LOWER RATE PATH AS RISK MANAGEMENT (BBG)

* FED'S BOSTIC UNTROUBLED BY INFLATION, DEMURS ON RATE-CUT PROSPECTS (WSJ)

* FED'S KASHKARI: 25BP CUT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH OF A SHOCK, NEED 50BP CUT (RTRS)

* U.S. OFF'LS PUSH FOR SANCTIONS ON CHINA OVER IRANIAN OIL PURCHASES (POLITICO)

* U.S. WILL NOT BLACKLIST IRAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER, FOR NOW (RTRS)

* U.S. OFFERS HIGH-LEVEL TALKS W/ S.KOREA, JAPAN ON TRADE (YONHAP)