Global Markets Await Economic Data as Asian Shares Wobble and Dollar Softens

Asian equities edged higher, while the dollar weakened as traders awaited economic data that could provide insights into the next moves by the US Federal Reserve. Oil prices rebounded after concerns arose about the Israel-Hamas conflict escalating into a broader conflict in the oil-exporting region. The MSCI Asia-Pacific index outside Japan rose slightly, but remains down for the month. Investor attention will be divided between earnings reports from major companies and a slew of economic data ahead of the Fed's meeting. China shares remained under pressure, while the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note rose. The dollar softened against a basket of currencies, and bitcoin surged on speculation of a possible exchange-traded fund.