MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.4 percent, poised to end the month down 1.9percent.
Japan's Nikkei stock index slipped 0.5 percent after rallying 1.4 percent in the previous session. It is up 2.9 percent for May, thanks to a tailwind from a weaker yen.
"The focus will be on U.S. data," Bernard Aw, market analyst at IG in Singapore, wrote in a note. "Investors will be keen to see if U.S. data this week will corroborate the Fed’s slightly optimistic tone."
China stocks jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, with financials leading a broad rally as investors bet that MSCI will add mainland shares to its index for the first time next month.
The Shanghai Composite Index gained 2.4 percent, to 2,891.15 points.
Reference: Reuters
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