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Stocks in Asia traded mixed on Monday morning as investors look for further developments on U.S.-China trade.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose fractionally in early trade while the Topix index was largely flat. South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.13%.
Shares in Australia edged lower in morning trade, with the S&P/ASX 200 down about 0.4% as most of the sectors slipped.
Overall, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index traded 0.05% lower.
Investors will continue to monitor developments on U.S.-China trade. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He had a phone call Saturday morning with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer regarding a “phase-one” trade deal, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reported over the weekend.
The two sides had “constructive discussions” about “each other’s core concerns” and agreed to remain in close contact, Xinhua reported. The call came at the request of Mnuchin and Lighthizer, according to Xinhua.
That came after White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said late last week the two economic powerhouses were “getting close” to a deal.
“US‑China trade and technology negotiations will remain front of mind this week. So far, a ‘phase one’ trade deal remains elusive. Despite positive comments from US officials, the US and China appear unable to agree on core components of the deal,” strategists at Commonwealth Bank of Australia wrote in a note.
“In our view, there is a risk that some of the recent optimism around tariffs begins to recede,” the strategists said. “The US is still scheduled to lift tariffs by 15% on US$156 (billion) of Chinese imports on 15 December. Removal of existing tariffs appears to be one of the key sticking points in current negotiations.”
Shares on Wall Street rallied to record levels last Friday amid the U.S.-China trade optimism. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 222.93 points higher at 28,004.89. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite made new all-time highs as well, climbing 0.8% to 3,120.46 and 0.7% to 8,540.83, respectively.
Market reaction to ongoing turmoil in Hong Kong will also be watched, as the embattled city continues to be rocked by civil unrest that has now lasted for months. Hong Kong police warned Monday live bullets could be fired, as tensions escalate in a standoff with protesters, Reuters reported.
Currencies
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 97.953 after seeing highs above 98.4 last week.
The Japanese yen traded at 108.72 per dollar after seeing highs below 108.4 in the previous trading week. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.6815 after declining from highs above $0.684 last week.
What’s on tap:
- Singapore: Merchandise trade data for October at 8:30 a.m. HK/SIN
- Hong Kong: Unemployment data (August-October) at 4:30 p.m. HK/SIN
— CNBC’s Fred Imbert and Spencer Kimball contributed to this report.