World Shares Rise Ahead of US Consumer Prices Update

(AP) -- World shares advanced Tuesday ahead of a crucial U.S. inflation report that will likely set the tone for the Federal Reserve's final meeting of the year.

The futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.1% and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained nearly 0.2%.

Germany's DAX edged 0.2% higher to 16,833.57 and the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.4% to 7,601.56. In London, the FTSE 100 jumped 0.8% to 7,602.45.

On Tuesday, the Office for National Statistics reported that Britain's wage growth saw its most significant slowdown in nearly two years in November, accompanied by a drop in job vacancies. The data were seen as an indicator inflation is abating due to high borrowing costs and could help shape the Bank of England's interest rate decision on Thursday.

In Asian trading, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 added 0.2% to 32,843.70. Data released on Tuesday showed wholesale prices in Japan rose 0.3% from a year earlier in November, the slowest rate of increase in almost three years. That suggested a moderation in inflationary pressures as the central bank weighs whether or not to relax its ultra-lax monetary policy.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.1% to 16,374.50, and the Shanghai Composite rose 0.4% to 3,003.44.

Chinese leaders are reportedly holding an annual economic conference that is expected to wrap up Tuesday with pledges to spur stable growth.

In Seoul, the Kospi was up 0.4% at 2,535.27. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.5% to 7,235.30.

India's Sensex dropped 0.3%, and the SET in Bangkok lost 0.6%.

On Monday, the S&P 500 rose 0.4%, finishing at its highest level in 20 months. The Dow gained 0.4% and the Nasdaq added 0.2%.

The muted gains follow a six-week winning streak by the major stock indexes. The S&P 500 is up 20.4% for the year and the Nasdaq is up 37.9%.

On Tuesday, the government will release its November report on consumer inflation. Analysts expect the report to show that inflation continued slowing to 3.1% from 3.2% in October. On Wednesday, the government will release its November report on inflation at the wholesale level, which is also expected to show that the rate of inflation is easing.

Wall Street is overwhelmingly betting that the Fed will keep its benchmark interest rate at a range of 5.25% to 5.50% into early 2024 and could start cutting rates by the middle of that year.

"With inflation coming down faster than expected, it now appears likely that the Fed will refrain from additional rate hikes," Brian Rose, a senior U.S. economist at UBS, said in a note to investors. "At the same time, inflation is still too high and the labor market is still too tight for the Fed to consider cutting rates soon."

Several big companies will report their earnings this week and are among the few remaining to release their results. Software company Adobe will report on Wednesday and Olive Garden owner Darden Restaurants will release its results on Friday.

Treasury yields in the bond market were generally lower. The 10-year yield slipped to 4.19% from 4.23% late Monday. It was above 5% and at its highest level since 2007 in October.

In energy trading, U.S. benchmark crude oil added 40 cents to $71.72 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 38 cents to $76.41 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar fell to 145.36 Japanese yen from 146.16 yen. The euro rose to $1.0793 from $1.0763.