The major regional indices continued to......>

STOCKS: The major regional indices continued to struggle in Asia-Pac hours, with

little to counteract the Coronavirus worry in what continues to be

holiday-thinned regional trade. Australia saw the energy & materials sectors

struggle after the long weekend, in the wake of recent price dynamics in oil,

copper and iron ore, although gold miners managed to outperform, on the back of

demand for the yellow metal over the last couple of sessions. FTSE China A50

index futures held a relatively tight range, last ~160 points below Monday's

settlement, contract failing to test overnight lows during Asia-Pac trade.

- U.S. equity index futures managed to edge higher, with Apple earnings

(scheduled for after-market on Tuesday) in focus. Worth flagging a Nikkei source

piece which suggested that "Apple has asked its suppliers to make up to 80

million iPhones over the first half of this year, a rise of over 10% on last

year's production schedule that could boost the company's near-record share

price."

- Nikkei 225 -0.9%, ASX 200 -1.6%.

- S&P 500 futures +12, DJIA futures +100, NASDAQ 100 futures +38.