Asian markets were mixed as investors evaluated private business activity reports from Australia and Japan

Singapore core inflation It increased by 3.8% in July On an annual basis, which was in line with Reuters analysts’ expectations and below June’s figure of 4.2%.

The city-state’s headline inflation rate for July was up 4.1% from a year ago, led by increases in entertainment, food, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods and services.

– Lee Ying Shan

The stocks of these two companies are likely to remain on the “secular” growth trajectory despite an increase in interest rates or a slowdown in global growth, according to many fund managers.

One company said it expects a compound annual growth rate of 19% over the next three years. The stock jumped nearly 15% in response, and is up nearly 75% this year, outperforming the broader technology sector.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more about the two stocks and alternative ETFs here.

– Ganesh Rao

Australia Business activity diminished in August at its fastest pace in 19 months, according to private surveys by Juno Bank.

The composite PMI for August in the country came in at 47.1, down from 48.2 in July.

The Australian manufacturing PMI came in at 49.4, while the services PMI came in at 46.7. The services PMI was also at a 19-month low.

A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion in the sector, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

– Lim Hwi Ji

Recent data seems to suggest that Americans have so far been willing to spend, especially as inflation continues to fall.

But some companies say customers seem to be lowering their prices.

The consequences could be significant, since consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of the US economy.

On Friday, Jason Weir, chief investment officer at Albion Financial Group, and Brian Stutland, portfolio manager at Equity Armor Investments, made their case for bulls and bears, respectively, on CNBC’s Street Signs Asia.

They also named the shares to buy.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

– Wizen tan

Real estate and utilities outperformed the S&P 500 on Tuesday, rising 0.4% compared to a 0.3% drop in the broad market index. The real estate sector was led by Digital Realty Trust and Iron Mountain, both rising more than 2%.

The financials were the sector’s biggest losers, trading down 0.8% on Tuesday, with banks pulling back from the group after S&P Global downgraded several regional banks. Regions Financial lost 5.1% and Zions Bancorp shares fell, while KeyCorp and Comerica shares fell 4%. Shares of Charles Schwab fell 4.8% amid news that the company was looking to raise debt in the bond market.

Energy and consumer goods were also lagging behind. Target’s stock price is down 3% and Estee Lauder’s stock price is down 1.8%. Other retailers trading on Red Tuesday include food distributor Sysco, Dollar General and spice maker McCormick & Company.

– Piya Singh

Investors should be bearish on oil, according to Ed Morse, head of global commodities at Citi Research.

He said that a group of countries were able to increase their oil production. At the same time, he said, demand is likely not to continue.

“The supply side is probably more important than the demand side right now,” he said on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.” “We can’t underestimate what happens on the show.”

– Alex Haring

Business surveys from two Federal Reserve districts showed that activity remained sluggish in August.

Business of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Manufacturing survey It turned to a reading of -7 for the month. That was slightly higher than -9 in July and the Dow Jones estimate of -10. However, the metric is the difference between companies expanding versus contracting, so it still shows weakness.

Separately, the Chicago Fed’s Survey of Economic Conditions came in at -23, better than July’s reading of -31. The central bank said in an accompanying narrative that the reading is not a direct diffusion indicator like the Richmond Index, but that the level indicates “that economic growth has been below trend.”

—Jeff Cox

Home sales fell faster than expected in July as prices rose. The National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday.

Existing sales were down 2.2% compared to June, versus Dow Jones estimates for a 0.2% decline. Sales totaled 4.07 million, versus estimates of 4.15 million, down 16.6% from a year ago.

The median selling price rose 1.9% to $406,700, while unsold existing homes rose 3.7% from June to 3.3 months’ worth of supply.

—Jeff Cox