In Asian Equity Markets stock indexes changed course to trade largely positive on Tuesday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up in the morning after trading down earlier, rising 0.11 percent with majority of the major sectors in the positive. South Korea’s Kospi also reversed course to trade up by 0.12 percent. Down Under, Australia’s ASX 200 bucked the trend by continuing to trade in negative territory, down by 0.26 percent. The heavily weighted financial sector shed 0.67 percent. The Shanghai composite posted gains of 0.24 percent while the Shenzhen composite rose 0.358 percent.

In Currency Markets the US dollar and the yen strengthened on Tuesday as investors bid up safe haven assets amid tensions around global trade and strains in emerging market currencies. The Australian dollar fell about 0.25 percent to $0.71935 earlier on Tuesday, not far off a 20-month low of $0.71655 touched during the previous session. The yen strengthened about 0.3 percent against the Aussie to 79.89 yen. The Reserve Bank of Australia holds its September policy meeting on Tuesday and is considered certain to keep rates at a record-low 1.5 percent.

In Commodities Markets U.S. oil prices rose on Tuesday, breaking past $70 per barrel, after two Gulf of Mexico oil platforms were evacuated in preparation for a hurricane. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $70.05 per barrel, up 25 cents, or 0.4 percent from their last settlement. Anadarko Petroleum Corp said on Monday it had evacuated and shut production at two oil platforms in the northern Gulf of Mexico ahead of the approach of Gordon, which is expected to come ashore as a hurricane. Brent crude futures, was trading at $78.07 per barrel, down 8 cents from their last close.

In US Equity Markets trading activity was closed due to Labor Day Holiday.

In Bond Markets the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes rose to 2.8622 percent versus its U.S. close of 2.853 percent on Friday. The two-year yield, which rises with traders’ expectations of higher Fed fund rates, touched 2.633 percent compared with a U.S. close of 2.629 percent last week.