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·       European markets opened mixed Wednesday morning, as investors await Federal Reserve monetary policy guidance and the outcome of high level trade talks between the U.S. and China.

The pan-European Euro Stoxx 600 index was flat with different bourses and sectors pointing in different directions.

·       Asian equities steadied on Wednesday as investors awaited Federal Reserve policy guidance and the outcome of high level trade talks between the United States and China, while drawing relief from Apple Inc’s earnings.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan tacked on 0.3 percent, booking its first gain of the week. South Korea’s KOSPI added nearly 1.1 percent.

U.S. S&P 500 e-mini futures were little changed. They had traded much of the session slightly in positive territory after Apple shares rose 5.7 percent after the bell as the iPhone maker reported sharp growth in its services business.

CEO Tim Cook, who is in regular contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, also said trade tension between the United States and China is easing in January.

That helped boost optimism around current high-level trade talks between the two countries, even though many investors remain skeptical about whether the economic giants can bridge differences over a number of issues, such as intellectual property rights and technology transfers.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Tuesday he expected to see significant progress in talks with Chinese officials and that U.S. charges against telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd were a separate issue.

·       Japan’s Nikkei fell on Wednesday, with index component Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma plunging after a clinical trial for a new drug failed to complete, offsetting optimism over a spurt in Apple’s shares.

The Nikkei share average declined 0.5 percent to 20,556.54, after opening a tad higher. Though sentiment is weak, the index has managed to stay above its 25-day moving average of 20,325.

Apple supplier Alps Alpine Co, which cut its annual operating profit outlook on Tuesday, opened higher supported by a share buyback announcement and strong Apple shares, but it later surrendered gains and was down 3 percent.

“Excessive worries about Apple’s performance in the Oct-Dec period receded, but iPhone’s output has been falling so there is still uncertainty over the April-June quarter and beyond,” said Norihiro Fujito, chief investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities.

·       Stocks in China and Hong Kong closed lower on Wednesday amid fresh signs of economic slowdown and as analysts cast doubt over the latest government effort to boost consumption.

The Shanghai Composite index settled 0.7 percent lower at 2,575.58 points.