By Tom Westbrook SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asian shares and the yen steadied early on Tuesday as traders’ focus turned on Japan’s central bank and whether it might edge further away from its ultra-easy monetary policy, while global equities continued to cheer the prospect of U.S. rate cuts. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat and just below a four-month high. Oil held overnight gains after producer BP followed other shipping firms and said it would avoid the Red Sea following recent attacks by Houthi forces. Several countries have agreed to joint patrols to try to s…