GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian markets set for messy open after U.S. stocks peak following Biden inauguration

By Jessica DiNapoli
NEW YORK, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Asian investors were expecting
a mixed day of trading after Wall Street peaked on Thursday,
pushed upward by continued optimism about economic stimulus to
counteract the COVID-19 pandemic promised by newly inaugurated
U.S. President Joe Biden.
"The markets had such a strong run yesterday after the
presidential inauguration in the U.S. and the run-up to that,
that the lead coming in from the U.S. is a bit messy," said
Shane Oliver, chief economist at investment manager AMP Capital
in Sydney. "A lot of the good news is out there. I suspect a
fairly flat day."
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS
gained 0.02%.
Australia's ASX 200 .AXJO fell 0.08% in early trade
Friday.
On Thursday, the Nikkei 225 index .N225 closed up .82%,
and the futures contract is now down 0.49% from the close.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures .HSI .HSIc1 were
down 0.17%.
On Wall Street, both the S&P 500 .SPX and Nasdaq Composite
.IXIC closed at record highs on Thursday, up .03% and .55%,
respectively.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 0.04%. It had
been poised for a record until falling into negative territory
in the final minutes of trading. The U.S. dollar fell on Thursday for the third straight
session, as investors ploughed their money into higher-yielding
currencies on optimism about a recovery from the pandemic in the
world's largest economy. U.S. Treasury yields on the longer end of the curve inched
up along with inflation expectations on Thursday as the market
eyed the prospect for additional debt supply under Biden's
administration. Oil prices steadied on Thursday after data showed an
unexpected increase in U.S. crude inventories that revived
pandemic-related fuel demand concerns. Hopes for a U.S. stimulus
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