Global markets are higher as investors watch developments in the simmering trade dispute between the U.S. and China.
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KEEPING SCORE: France’s CAC 40 gained 0.7 percent to 5,300.12 in early trading, while Germany’s DAX added 1.1 percent to 12,397.45. Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.3 percent to 7,218.11. U.S. shares were also set to drift higher with the future for the Dow industrial average surging 1.1 percent to 24,279. The future for the S&P 500 climbed 1.1 percent to 2,647.70.
ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.5 percent to finish at 21,794.32. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.8 percent to 5,857.00. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.3 percent to 2,450.74. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 1.7 percent to 30,728.74, while the Shanghai Composite rose 1.7 percent to 3,190.32.
TRADE WORRIES: Indexes have been fluctuating as investors try to guess the outcome of the U.S.-China trade dispute. President Donald Trump continued to bash America’s trade deals on Twitter, but said the U.S. and China could settle their dispute. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday promised to cut China’s auto import tariffs and ease restrictions on foreign ownership in its auto industry in comments analysts said could signal a somewhat conciliatory stance.
THE QUOTE: “Investor sentiment is pinballing between two key themes. Trade wars vs trade negotiations, and the broader improving growth vs rising interest rates. Current sentiment is positive, although Asia Pacific futures markets are flattish after anticipatory gains yesterday,” Michael McCarthy of CMC Markets said in a commentary.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude rose 82 cents to $64.24 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It jumped $1.36, or 2.2 percent, to $63.42 a barrel overnight. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 92 cents to $69.57 a barrel.
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CURRENCIES: The dollar slipped to 106.96 yen from 107.12 late Monday. The euro rose to $1.2323 from $1.2275.
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