• The euro came under pressure on Tuesday after a media report that Greece may forego its next bailout payment if creditors cannot strike a debt relief deal, while Asian stocks were shackled by holidays in some regional markets and the United States and UK.
The common currency EUR=EBS slid 0.2 percent to $1.1136 in its third session of declines after a German press report Athens may opt out of its next bailout payment.
"The bailout payments are necessary to meet existing debt repayments due in July, so if Greece were to forgo this bailout payment the probability of a default would spike, reopening the discussion around a Grexit from the Euro-zone," said James Woods, global investment analyst at Rivkin in Sydney.
• The dollar firmed on Tuesday, taking back ground against the euro and sterling which were pressured by political uncertainties in the UK and eurozone.
The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six rival currencies, rose 0.3 percent to 97.706 .DXY, pulling further away from a 6-1/2-month low of 96.797 plumbed last week.
• U.S. and UK markets were closed for holidays on Monday, giving investors fewer directional clues to follow.
• British Prime Minister Theresa May's lead over the opposition Labour Party dropped to 6 percentage points in a poll published on Tuesday, the latest to show a shrinking lead for the ruling Conservatives ahead of June 8elections since the Manchester terrorist attack. Sterling slipped 0.2 percent to $1.2812 GBP=, moving back toward a three-week low of $1.2775 touched on Friday.
• Euro zone growth may be improving but inflation remains subdued and still requires substantial stimulus, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Monday, tempering expectations for the bank's June 8policy meeting.
• Greece's creditors need to reach a deal on debt relief measures at the next meeting of euro zone finance ministers in June to help the country return to bond markets, its finance minister said on Monday.
Euro zone finance ministers failed to agree with the International Monetary Fund last week on Greek debt relief as well as failing to release new loans to Athens. They did however come close enough to aim to do both at their June meeting.
"The Greek government feels it's done its part of what it promised," Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos said, referring to parliamentary approval this month on a package of reforms to be implemented in 2019-20, when its existing bailout expires.
• Japan's April retail sales show surprise gain, household spending weaker than seen, unemployment steady.
• Oil prices rose slightly on Monday, barely paring last week's steep losses with the market remaining cautious as increases in U.S. drilling activity have undercut an OPEC-led push to tighten supply.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled up 14 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $52.29 per barrel. Brent fell nearly 3 percent the previous week.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were 19 cents higher at $49.99 per barrel.
• Trading was subdued due to public holidays in China, the United States and Britain. The market remains uncertain about whether the extension of output cuts by OPEC and other producing countries will be enough to support prices.
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test of a new ballistic missile controlled by a precision guidance system and ordered the development of more powerful strategic weapons, the North's official KCNA news agency reported on Tuesday.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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