UK apex court to hear Brexit appeal

Britain's Supreme Court will today begin hearing the government's appeal against a ruling that it must obtain parliamentary approval before triggering Brexit, in a showdown that has further inflamed political tensions. The High Court ruled last month that Prime Minister Theresa May's government did not have the power to invoke Article 50 of the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, the formal procedure for leaving the EU.

Greece eyes initial pact with lenders

Greece expects to reach an initial agreement with its official creditors at a meeting of euro zone finance ministers today, on the fiscal targets and reforms it needs to adopt to conclude its latest bailout review.

Athens and its European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders are at odds over labour and energy reforms and the measures needed to plug a projected fiscal gap in 2018.

PMI data on activity in private sector

The Nikkei Singapore Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) - an indicator of private sector economic activity - will be released today.

Unlike a PMI survey released earlier this month that covers only manufacturing firms, the Nikkei measure is based on data from monthly questionnaires filled by executives at about 400 private sector firms. They include companies in the manufacturing, service, construction and retail industries.