Asian shares edge up as investors await Yellen testimony

By Lisa Twaronite

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares and the dollar cautiously edged higher on Tuesday, as investors awaited testimony from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen for clues on when the central bank would tighten U.S. monetary policy. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> edged a few points higher in early trading, with sentiment underpinned by technology-led gains on Wall Street. Japan's Nikkei stock index <.N225> was up 0.1 percent, while Australian shares <.AXJO> slipped 0.2 percent.  Financial Astrology Tips

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, added 0.1 percent to 96.094 <.DXY> ahead of Yellen's semi-annual monetary policy testimony before Congress on Wednesday and Thursday."Normalisation of monetary policy in the coming months is almost priced in, and the Fed will start shrinking its balance sheet in September, and this does not necessarily mean a delay of rate hikes," said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief forex strategist at Mizuho Securities in Tokyo."This is supporting the dollar as a positive factor, and limiting its downside at the moment," he said. "I think Yellen will confirm that rate hikes are coming, and that balance sheet shrinkage will come." Astrology and Numerology Trading Tips