Stocks pressured by report on Trump probe, Fed hike, soft U.S. data

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures dipped and Asian shares were on the defensive on Thursday after a media report that U.S. President Donald Trump is being investigated by a special counsel for possible obstruction of justice. Investors' appetite for riskier assets was also dampened by soft U.S. data and after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates as expected and gave its first clear outline on its plan to reduce its $4.2-trillion bond portfolio. Weak inflation readings, in particular, cast doubt on the Fed's view that the economy is continuing to strengthen. S&P mini futures dipped 0.2 percent in early Asian trade after the Washington Post reported that Trump is being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller for possible obstruction of justice. Financial Astrology Tips

Mueller is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Trump's legal team denounced the report The news came just after the No. 3 Republican in the House of Representatives, Steve Scalise, was shot by a gunman angry with Trump and other Republicans. Scalise was listed in critical condition. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> dipped 0.1 percent while Japan's Nikkei <.N225> fell 0.4 percent. Asian markets were also waiting to see if China's central bank would follow the Fed with another round of money market rate increases, as it did in March. But traders were divided over the possibility, with some analysts noting the yuan is in better than a few months ago while liquidity in China has already been tightening. Astrology and Numerology Trading Tips