Asian shares mark time before banks, U.S. jobs data

TOKYO: Asian shares were effectively flat in Wednesday morning trade, cautiously marking time before key U.S. jobs data and news from central bank policy meetings in Japan and Europe later in the week.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was up 0.1 percent, helped by a 0.3 percent rise in Australian shares .AXJO and as the Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX neared its all-time high the previous session.