Reuters
Amid a flurry of commentary from global financial leaders at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring meetings in Washington, and with many markets having undergone huge moves in recent weeks, investors are taking a bit of a time out. Whether it's fatigue (gold), short-covering (bonds), worries about the impact of higher borrowing costs on growth and demand (stocks and oil), or just seeking refuge from the barrage of headlines from Washington, investors are trimming back risk. This is the backdrop to Thursday's market open in Asia, where the calendar includes Japan's tertiary index of industrial activity, unemployment from Australia and Hong Kong, and a speech by Bank of Japan board member Asahi Noguchi.