Asian stocks to advance on trade talks, jobs data
ASIAN stocks are poised for moderate gains Monday with the US and China set to resume trade negotiations, while positive jobs data in the world's largest economy eased recession fears.
Equity-index futures for Japan and Hong Kong pointed to gains, after the S&P 500 Index closed Friday at its highest since February. Contracts for the gauge edged down 0.1% in early Asian trading Monday. Gold edged up 0.2% while oil was steady. The yen was slightly stronger against the dollar.
Trade tensions appeared to recede between President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping as an impasse on critical minerals was broken, paving the way for further trade talks. Adding to the optimism in the stock market was the surprise in labor data. While US job growth moderated in May and prior months were revised lower, Friday's report narrowly exceeded forecasts.
'Trade policy will remain the big macro uncertainty,' Kyle Rodda, a senior market analyst at Capital.com, wrote in a note Thursday about the US-China negotiations. 'Signs of further momentum in talks could give the markets fresh boost to kick-off the week.'
Stock markets have rebounded following a tumultuous two-month period, with the S&P 500 gaining for the fifth week in seven. Asian and European equity benchmarks have risen seven times in the past eight weeks.
Meanwhile, the US and Chinese negotiators are set to open their second round of trade talks Monday in London, the first since Trump and Xi finally broke a logjam. That's offering a glimmer of hope that the world's two largest economies can defuse tensions over Chinese dominance in rare-earth minerals.
Both sides had accused the other of reneging on a deal reached in May in Geneva, where they tried to start dialing back the trade war.
Ahead of the talks, China granted approval to some applications for the export of rare earths. Boeing Co. has also begun shipping commercial jets to China for the first time since early April, indicating a reopening of trade flows.
Later this week, attention will turn to the sale of government bonds in the US. The Treasury is set to sell $22 billion of 30-year bonds on Thursday, part of its regularly scheduled borrowings. This comes after global investor pushback against long-term government debt. Investors will also be watching US inflation print this week.
On Friday, nonfarm payrolls increased 139,000 last month after a combined 95,000 in downward revisions to the prior two months. The unemployment rate held at 4.2%, while wage growth accelerated.
The payrolls figure helped alleviate concerns of a rapid deterioration in labor demand as companies contend with higher costs related to tariffs and prospects of slower economic activity.
In other trade news, a US trade team that's currently in India for negotiations has extended its stay, according to people familiar with the matter. That's a sign talks are progressing ahead of a July deadline. –BLOOMBERG
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