Asia Shares Eke Out 19-Month High, Dollar Holds Firm

Sydney: Asian shares inched to 19-month highs on Tuesday as the potential for economic stimulus in the US lifted the dollar, bond yields and Wall Street stocks.

The dollar was also bolstered by speculation the head of the Federal Reserve would underline the prospects of more US rate hikes when she testifies to Congress later on Tuesday.

Helping sentiment was data showing consumer and producer prices were rising in China and thus reducing the danger of deflation across the globe.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.1 per cent, trying for its fifth straight session of gains.

Japan's Nikkei eased 0.1 per cent as it struggled with stiff chart resistance that has held since mid-December.

Stocks in Shanghai were barely changed, but Australia managed a 0.4 per cent gain.

Wall Street indices had hit historic peaks on Monday, with the benchmark S&P 500's market value topping $20 trillion as investors bet tax cuts promised by President Donald Trump would boost the economy.

The Dow rose 0.7 per cent, while the S&P 500 gained 0.52 per cent and the Nasdaq 0.52 per cent. Apple, a component of all three indices, rose 0.9 per cent to close at a record high for the first time since 2015.

The dollar gained on a basket of currencies 101.020, near its strongest since January 20, while the euro was down for the fourth session in a row at $1.0596.

The dollar scored a two-week top on the yen following reports that Trump did not discuss the currency or its strength during weekend talks with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The dollar was last at 113.72 yen.

Parsing Fed policy

All eyes are now on Fed Chair Janet Yellen's semi-annual testimony on policy due on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tom Porcelli, chief US economist at RBC Capital Markets, believes Ms Yellen will outline the case for at least three rate rises this year, rather than the two the market implies.

One thing investors will be watching is how forceful Ms Yellen is in keeping alive the risk of a hike in March, something the market has priced as a distant chance.

Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan on Monday argued it should move soon to avoid falling behind the curve, especially as fiscal policy could drive faster growth and inflation.

"Given the uncertainty of timing on the fiscal agenda and the relatively modest uptick in inflation thus far this year, we think it will be difficult for the committee to get enough members onboard for a hike in March," said Mr Porcelli at RBC.

"But Yellen could certainly move the 'perception' needle on this."

In commodity markets, metals were on a tear thanks to supply disruptions and strong Chinese demand. Copper hit its highest since May 2015 after shipments from the world's two biggest copper mines were disrupted.

Iron ore climbed to its since August 2014 amid reports China plans to cut steel capacity by at least half in 28 cities across five regions during the winter heating season.

Oil recouped some ground on efforts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut output, though rising production elsewhere kept prices to a narrow range that has contained them so far this year.

US West Texas crude added 13 cents to $53.06 a barrel, having shed 1.7 per cent overnight. Brent futures rose 15 cents to $55.74 a barrel.