MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.1 percent and back toward a 19-month peak set last week. Shares in Unilever Plc could retreat after U.S. food company Kraft Heinz Co withdrew its proposal for a $143-billion merger. A host of results from retailers are due this week, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Macy's and Home Depot Inc. On the interest rate front, no less than five heads of regional Federal Reserve bank are due to speak this week while Fed Board Governor Jerome Powell appears on Wednesday. Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said on Monday she would be comfortable raising interest rates at this point if the economy kept performing the way it did.

Source: dna February 20, 2017 02:41 UTC