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Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4

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Nikkei falls 0.6%, but recoups most early losses

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Nasdaq futures weighed by 12% dive in Super Micro

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Dollar edges up, market trims wagers on Fed rate cuts

By Wayne Cole

SYDNEY, Aug 7(Reuters) - Asian share markets were mostly

firmer on Wednesday after Wall Street bounced and concerns about

a U.S. recession were reassessed, though Japanese stocks took a

dip as heightened volatility squeezed leveraged positions.

The Nikkei's drop of 0.6% was relatively minor

compared with Monday's 13% dive and Tuesday's 10% rally, leading

to hopes investors were finding their footing.

"The sell-off in Japanese stocks may almost be over," said

analysts at JPMorgan in a note. "Both nonresident and individual

investors have reset their year-to-date net buying."

"If the market stays at its current level, the GPIF

(government pension fund) could become a net buyer by

end-September, and a view that unwinding of yen carry trades is

almost over has also emerged."

The GPIF is a massive fund with considerable market power

and its investment decisions are highly influential.

The unravelling of the yen carry trade - where investors

borrow yen at low rates to buy higher yielding assets - was a

driving force in the market rout, but again seemed to be

stabilising.

The dollar edged up 0.2% to 144.67 yen and away

from the 141.675 trough hit on Monday, though it remains far

below its July peak of 161.96.

The dollar also gained on the safe-haven Swiss franc to

0.8532, up from Monday's low of 0.8430.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan

gained 0.4%, while Korean stocks added

0.8%.

After bouncing overnight, Nasdaq futures eased 0.1%

in part due to a 12% dive in AI darling Super Micro Computer ( SMCI )

after it missed earnings estimates.

S&P 500 futures steadied from an early drop, while

EUROSTOXX 50 futures firmed 0.5%. FTSE futures

added 0.7%, and DAX futures rose 0.3%.

With safe-haven in less demand, Treasury yields ticked

higher for a second session. U.S. 10-year yields

were up at 3.908%, and well off Monday's low of 3.667%.

Two-year yields had climbed back to 3.997%, from a

deep trough of 3.654%, as markets scaled back wagers on an

intra-meeting emergency rate cut from the Federal Reserve.

Futures now imply 105 basis points of easing this year,

compared with 125 basis points at one stage during Monday's

turmoil, while a 50-basis-point cut in September seen as a 73%

chance.

Fears of an imminent U.S. recession had also faded a little

as the run of economic data still pointed to solid economic

growth in the current quarter.

The Atlanta Fed's much-watched GDPNow estimate is that gross

domestic product is running at an annual pace of 2.9%.

In commodity markets, gold prices were holding at $$2,386 an

ounce and short of last week's $2,477 top.

Oil prices remained volatile as concerns about waning global

demand warred with the risk of supply disruptions in the Middle

East.

Brent slipped 18 cents to $76.30 per barrel, while

U.S. crude fell 26 cents to $72.94 a barrel.