* Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* Most Asian stock markets ease, along with S&P futures
* Supply build-up sees Brent suffer sharpest fall in 7 wks
* Dip in Treasury yields nudges US$ down on yen
* Next major event is minutes of Fed's last meeting
By Wayne Cole
SYDNEY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Asian shares lumbered lower on
Wednesday as the Sino-U.S. trade talks produced nothing but a
stream of conflicting messages, while concerns about a glut of
supply saw oil prices suffer their biggest spill in seven weeks.
Figures from the American Petroleum Institute out late
Tuesday showed a far larger rise in crude stocks than expected.
That followed reports Russia was unlikely to deepen its cuts to
crude output. Brent crude LCOc1 futures stood at $60.91 a barrel early
on Wednesday, after sliding 2.6% overnight, while U.S. crude
CLc1 recouped a single cent to $55.22.
Action in share markets was subdued with MSCI's broadest
index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS off
0.25%. Japan's Nikkei .N225 eased 0.2% and South Korea .KS11
0.4%. E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 lost 0.1%.
Hopes for progress on the U.S.-China dispute had risen on
Tuesday when Bloomberg reported that the previous talks that
failed in May were being considered as a benchmark on what U.S.
tariffs on China would be rolled back. But later, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to raise
tariffs further if China would not agree to a deal that he
liked.
The aggressive tone unsettled Wall Street and the Dow .DJI
ended Tuesday down 0.36%, while the S&P 500 .SPX lost 0.06%
and the Nasdaq .IXIC added 0.24%.
Dour forecasts from retailers Home Depot and Kohl's fuelled
worries about consumer spending, while the energy sector .SPNY
was the S&P's biggest loser as oil slid. .N
FED IN FOCUS
"The immediate focus remains on the U.S.-China trade talks,
and markets seem reluctant to move much in either direction
until they are resolved," wrote analysts at ANZ in a note.
"It was noticeable that fixed income markets rallied despite
equity markets being stable, suggestive of a market that remains
cautious about the growth outlook."
Yields on U.S. 10-year Treasuries US10YT=RR dropped to a
two-week trough at 1.77%, with a marked flattening of the curve
hinting at a possible return of recession fears.
The dip in yields nudged the dollar down on the safe-haven
Japanese yen and it was last at 108.43 JPY= , though still
within the 107.87 to 109.48 range of the last five weeks.
The euro inched up to $1.1077 EUR= , but faced chart
resistance at $1.1090. The dollar was steadier on a basket of
currencies at 97.829 .DXY .
Investors are now awaiting minutes of the Federal Reserve's
last policy meeting where it cut interest rates and signalled a
pause for the time being.
"The minutes will elaborate on the Fed's view that the
downside risks to the U.S. economy have eased, and that a
"material reassessment" of the economic outlook will be needed
for it to cut rates again," said Joseph Capurso, an analyst at
Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
"We see the FOMC now on hold until March, 2020."
The market has all but given up on the prospect of an easing
in December, which is now priced at just 0.8%. A move in March
is put at a probability of around 42%. FEDWATCH
The risk-off tone helped spot gold firm 0.1% to $1,474.14
per ounce XAU= .
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Asia stock markets https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
Asia-Pacific valuations https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA
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(Editing by Stephen Coates)