Investors are gearing up for December's crucial consumer price index to determine the direction of Fed policy.

Asian stocks are mixed after Wall Street’s mostly positive performance ahead of key U.S. inflation data that could influence the pace of the Federal Reserve’s rate cuts

Wall Street pointed modestly higher early Tuesday ahead of new data on inflation and the kickoff to earnings season. Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average each ticked up 0.3% before the bell.