Asia markets mixed as China manufacturing contracts for a second-straight month in May

Japan -1.41%. Japan data: April Industrial Production (preliminary) -0.4% m/m (expected 1.5%).

Retail sales in Japan grew 5% year-on-year in April.

Japan has issued an emergency warning /evacuation notice over North Korea missile threat.

China -0.73%. China Official May PMIs: Manufacturing 48.8 (expected 51.4) Services 54.5 (expected 54.9).

Hong Kong -2.60%. Index falls into bear market territory on an intraday basis as it hit levels more than 20% below its January peak. The decline was led by basic materials, energy, health care and technology stocks – the Hang Seng Tech index fell 3.62%.

Australia -1.37%. Australian Private Sector Credit for April +0.6% m/m (prior +0.3%).

Australia data: Q1 Construction Work done +1.8% (expected +0.5%).

Australian CPI for April 6.8% y/y (expected 6.4%).

India -0.68%.

Overnight in the U.S., all three major indexes ended mixed as Wall Street considered the likelihood of Congress passing a tentative deal on raising the U.S. debt ceiling amid growing opposition within the GOP. The Nasdaq Composite ended 0.32% higher at 13,017.43 points, helped by technology stocks which were led by a surge in shares of NVIDIA on continued artificial intelligence-related enthusiasm.

The benchmark S&P 500 closed virtually unchanged at 4,205.52 points, while the blue-chip Dow slipped 0.15% to settle at 33,042.78 points.

The proposed bill now requires Congressional approval, with the House considering whether it should be advanced to a full vote.

New Zealand business confidence improves in May from April but still very weak.

Coming up in the session: Germany states’ CPI readings due later today.

Oil prices edged up on Wednesday after steep losses in the prior session, as market participants awaited an expected vote on a bipartisan deal to lift the $31.4 trillion U.S. debt ceiling.

Brent crude futures for August delivery rose 11 cents to $73.82 a barrel by 0013 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) gained 8 cents to $69.54 a barrel. Both fell more than 4% on Tuesday.

US futures lower. Dow Jones -0.53%; S&P 500 -0.40%; Nasdaq -0.38%.