Asian shares mixed as trade deal seems out of reach

Singapore — Asian share markets were mixed on Tuesday, as another day awaiting clearer news on the progress of US-China trade negotiations left investors bereft of trading motivation.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged 0.2% higher as hopes for stimulus in China lifted Shanghai blue chips by 0.8% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng by 1%.

Japan’s Nikkei, however, shed 0.2% and South Korea’s Kospi 200 dropped 0.3%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.4%.

Volumes were light across the board. E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 were flat.

“It’s subdued today for sure,” said Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank’s Asia Treasury Department in Singapore, adding that focus was by default on efforts to resolve the trade war between the world’s two biggest economies that has dented global growth.

“There are some lingering doubts over whether a phase one deal can be struck. I think the suspicion is that there’s a lot more wrinkles to iron out than initially thought.”

Overnight, CNBC had reported the mood in Beijing was pessimistic about the prospects of sealing an agreement.

On the other hand, a new extension allowing US companies to keep doing business with Chinese telecom giant Huawei suggested something of an olive branch.

Still, neither morsel shed much light on progress in US-China negotiations, and this week’s listless trading suggests optimism that resolution is near is beginning to run out of steam.

“We’re still waiting,” said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at brokerage CMC Markets in Sydney. “The longer we go on, the more concerns will arise. The reality is the clock is ticking.”

The next deadline in the dispute is December 15, when another round of US tariffs on Chinese good is scheduled to take effect.

Wall Street’s main indexes traded mostly flat on Monday, looking for direction on trade, though they ended the day inching higher to record closing levels.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1%. The S&P 500 gained 0.05%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.1%.

The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes rose to 1.8118% compared with its US close of 1.808% on Monday.

Waiting game

Currency markets were similarly indecisive and rangebound. The safe-haven Japanese yen climbed as high as 108.45 per dollar before retreating to trade flat at 108.64.

The Australian dollar nudged 0.2% lower to $0.6793 after the central bank said it had seen a case for cutting rates this month.

The biggest mover overnight was the British pound which headed towards $1.30 as four polls showed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party tracking towards victory at the December 12 election.

Sterling hit a one-month high of $1.2984 overnight, before retreating a little in Asian trade to settle around $1.2953.

“Overall, risk-related plays will continue to be whipsawed by alternating headlines, but in the short term, risk-off plays may still have room to run as uncertainties persist,” said Terence Wu, a strategist at OCBC bank in Singapore.

Spot gold, which has been closely tracking the fortunes of the Sino-US trade dispute, was flat at $1,470.03 per ounce.

US crude dropped 0.18% to $56.95 a barrel. Brent crude fell to $62.34 per barrel.

Reuters