Asia shares off to cautious start, US crude slides

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.2% in slow early trade, with a pause needed after five straight weeks of gains. Japan's Nikkei fell 1.3% and South Korea 0.1%. E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 slipped 0.7%, having jumped last week on hopes some U.S. states would soon start to re-open their economies.

SYDNEY: Caution gripped Asian share markets on Monday on expectations a busy week of corporate earnings reports and economic data will drive home the damage done by the global virus lockdown, while U.S. crude prices took an early spill.

Japan reported its exports fell almost 12% in March from a year earlier, with shipments to the U.S. down over 16%. Early readings on April manufacturing globally are due on Thursday and are expected to show recession-like readings.