London — World shares ground out a new record high on Tuesday, making it almost 50 for the year, although Europe tread cautiously as markets waited to see whether Spain’s Catalonia region would push for independence later in the day.Japan and South Korea returned from extended breaks to give Asia a lift, but the Catalan uncertainty meant it was a lower start for the eurozone’s main bourses and for Spanish bond markets.Catalonia’s secessionist leader Carles Puigdemont is due to address the region’s parliament in Barcelona. He could ask the assembly to vote on a unilateral declaration of independence from Madrid.It is Spain’s biggest political crisis since an attempted military coup in 1981. Madrid’s Ibex stocks index drooped 0.5% early on and it is now down almost 9% since May, though a sharp rise in the euro has also taken a toll."We have not witnessed any relevant statement or signal by the separatists that would hint at a change of strategy ahead of today’s discussion in the Catal...
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