Asian markets rise on upbeat Trump trade comments

News Image

By MG News | September 26, 2019 at 10:19 AM GMT+05:00

0:00

September 26, 2019: Asian markets rose Thursday following upbeat comments from US President Donald Trump that a trade deal with China could come sooner than expected and steps towards a new agreement with Japan.

Trump, in an appearance at the United Nations, said a deal with China was getting closer, sending Wall Street higher despite concerns over the launch of an impeachment inquiry against the mercurial leader.

The remarks came just a day after Trump railed against Chinese "abuses" at the UN summit, comments that had been seen as among the factors causing stocks to fall Tuesday.

Trump on Wednesday also said Washington and Tokyo had taken a major step towards sealing a comprehensive new trade deal, which will see Tokyo cut tariffs on $7 billion of US farm exports.

"Investors have been 'trade war' bearish for so long that any sliver of optimism is cheered," said Stephen Innes, Asia Pacific market strategist at AxiTrader.

"However, with definite signs of a trade thaw emerging that trade calm certainly trumped the impeachment probe as the S&P 500 halted a three-day slide, the dollar rallied, and yields on 10 U.S. Treasuries rose towards 1.75 percent."

The Dow and S&P 500 both rose 0.6 percent while the Nasdaq closed 1.1 percent higher.

Asian markets were cheered by Trump's positive comments on trade, with Tokyo rising 0.3 percent, Hong Kong adding 0.2 percent and Seoul up 0.4 percent. Shanghai was down 0.7 percent.

"Markets have been swayed by the president's remarks every day... In the latest move, sentiment got a boost from the president's positive remarks" on trade, said Makoto Sengoku, market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute.

"It eased worries for now that the spat would weigh on the global economy," he told AFP.

Elsewhere, crude prices were little changed from Wednesday's decline after an unexpected rise in US inventory and a swift recovery in Saudi Arabia's output following the September 14 attacks on its oil infrastructure. Brent was flat and WTI was up 0.1 percent.

On forex markets, the pound was little changed. The British currency had pulled back after it rallied on Tuesday on the belief that the odds of a no-deal Brexit had fallen.

"With the political outlook ahead of Brexit murkier than ever and an election seemingly inevitable, any good news is well and truly baked into GBP now," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA.

"It will probably take a Brexit agreement signed and sealed to give it new upside momentum."

- Key figures around 0400 GMT -

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.2 percent at 25,992.08

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 2,933.975

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 22,081.74

London - FTSE 100: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at 7,289.99 (close)

New York - Dow: UP 0.6 percent at 26,970.71 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0962 from $1.0944 at 2100 GMT

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2375 from $1.2355

Euro/pound: UP at 88.57 from 88.56 pence

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 107.67 yen from 107.77

Brent North Sea crude: FLAT at $62.38 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $56.55 per barrel.

AFP/APP

Related News

Name Price/Vol %Chg/NChg
KSE100 133,774.04
181.21M
0.30%
403.89
ALLSHR 83,456.64
711.23M
0.45%
375.49
KSE30 40,782.38
64.30M
0.19%
77.07
KMI30 192,660.47
73.14M
0.04%
79.80
KMIALLSHR 55,975.06
423.59M
0.25%
139.34
BKTi 36,533.57
11.71M
0.60%
216.39
OGTi 28,534.41
7.39M
-0.03%
-8.54
Symbol Bid/Ask High/Low
Name Last High/Low Chg/%Chg
BITCOIN FUTURES 108,885.00 108,920.00
107,680.00
430.00
0.40%
BRENT CRUDE 69.35 69.61
69.03
-0.23
-0.33%
RICHARDS BAY COAL MONTHLY 97.50 0.00
0.00
2.90
3.07%
ROTTERDAM COAL MONTHLY 106.00 0.00
0.00
-0.15
-0.14%
USD RBD PALM OLEIN 998.50 998.50
998.50
0.00
0.00%
CRUDE OIL - WTI 67.60 67.97
67.40
-0.33
-0.49%
SUGAR #11 WORLD 16.21 16.30
16.16
-0.07
-0.43%

Chart of the Day


Latest News
July 08, 2025 at 12:56 PM GMT+05:00

Oil prices dip after U.S. tariff moves, OPEC+ output hike


July 08, 2025 at 12:04 PM GMT+05:00

Saudi Riyal available at PKR 76.4 in open market


July 08, 2025 at 11:55 AM GMT+05:00

NBP leads Pakistan’s banks in shareholder value surge


July 08, 2025 at 11:39 AM GMT+05:00

Pakistan-Afghanistan railway talks progress


July 08, 2025 at 10:42 AM GMT+05:00

Pakistan moves to regulate crypto with PVARA approval



Top 5 things to watch in this week

Pakistan Stock Movers
Name Last Chg/%Chg
Name Last Chg/%Chg