Asia markets were poised for a mixed open on Friday despite a strong lead in from Wall Street.
Nikkei futures traded in the U.S. were up 0.35 percent from the index’s last close on Thursday. In Australia, ASX 200 futures were 0.032 percent lower from the index’s last close.
The expected moves come after a Thursday rebound in U.S. markets, with a string of positive news ranging from strong corporate earnings to reports of a revival in U.S.-China trade talks all boosting investor sentiment.
White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow confirmed to CNBC’s “Squawk Box” earlier reports saying China and the U.S. will hold a fresh round of trade talks later in August, giving investors hope that the world’s two largest economies can solve an ongoing trade spat. According to Reuters, the planned talks were characterized as “lower level.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 396.32 points to close 1.58 percent higher at 25,558.73, posting its biggest jump since April 10. The Nasdaq Composite ended the day 0.42 percent higher to close at 7,806.52. The S&P 500 closed up by 0.79 percent to 2,840.69.
The Turkish lira, which has come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks after touching a record low on Monday, was slightly softer compared to levels last seen during Asian trade on Thursday afternoon. The currency traded at 5.8338 per U.S. dollar at 6:55 a.m. HK/SIN.
The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of currencies, was at 96.645. Against the yen, the dollar traded at 110.93, with the safe haven Japanese currency near the 111 level.
Here’s a look at the data expected in the day ahead (all times in HK/SIN):
- 8:30 a.m.: Singapore July non-oil trade
- 4:30 p.m.: Hong Kong July unemployment
- 5:00 p.m.: Euro-area – July inflation
– CNBC’s Fred Imbert contributed to this report.
