Global shares were mostly lower Monday amid worries about escalating trade friction between the U.S. and Canada, who have been unable to agree to a revamped trade deal but will continue negotiating this week.
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KEEPING SCORE: France’s CAC 40 was virtually unchanged at 5,409.04 in early trading, while Germany’s DAX lost nearly 0.2 percent to 12,342.46. Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.7 percent at 7,484.28. U.S. shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures up 0.1 percent at 26,023. S&P 500 futures gained 0.2 percent at 2,909.20.
ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.7 percent to finish at 22,707.38. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.1 percent to 6,310.90. South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.7 percent to 2,307.03. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.6 percent to 27,712.54, while the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.2 percent at 2,720.73.
TRADE WORRIES: Investors had hoped the U.S. and Canada would finish the outlines of a revamped NAFTA pact after the U.S. and Mexico announced a preliminary agreement. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said last week that talks will resume on Wednesday. President Donald Trump said he is willing to make a deal with just Mexico, excluding Canada, but Wall Street is confident the final deal will include all three.
ANALYST’S TAKE: “With Canada not reaching an agreement with the U.S. on the NAFTA talks that were rushed on Friday last week, focus has now shifted to the mid-week deadline for Canada to sign up for the revamped NAFTA structure,” said Vishnu Varathan at Mizuho Bank in Singapore.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude inched up 1 cent to $69.81 a barrel. It fell 0.6 percent to $69.80 a barrel in New York late Friday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 25 cents to $77.89 a barrel.
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CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 111.02 yen from 110.75. The euro fell to $1.1617 from $1.1685.
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