Trinity Investments Limited – Asian Markets Positive – US China Tensions Easing

HONG KONG - Jan. 20, 2019 - PRLog -- Shares in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney climbed after the S&P 500 Index hit its highest since early December on Friday. Spurring the gains was optimism around the next round of U.S.-China trade talks at month-end and data from China that alleviated concerns of a continued deterioration in China's slowing economy. Not all was sunny on Monday, however, with S&P 500 futures dipping and the yen strengthening after Bloomberg reported that the two sides are making little progress on the key issue of intellectual property protection. U.S. markets are closed Monday.

Asian shares opened higher after a report indicated China had offered a path to eliminate its trade imbalance with the U.S. by ramping up purchases of goods made in America. Separate reporting showed that on intellectual property, discussions amounted more to an airing of grievances than constructive negotiations, according to participants and others briefed on the talks.

Data on Monday confirmed China's economy expanded at the slowest pace since the global financial crisis, in line with many expectations, though December figures for industrial production and retail sales were buoyant. Still, South Korea's early trade data for January offered grimmer news on the global economy as exports fell by the most in more than two years.

Meantime, the pound was steady. Theresa May briefed her Cabinet on Sunday evening that there was little prospect of cross-party Brexit talks yielding a workable alternative plan to the one that Parliament overwhelmingly rejected last week. Instead she is seeking changes to the Irish backstop section of the deal she's negotiated with the European Union.

These are the main moves in markets:

Stocks

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.4 percent as of 10:03 a.m. Hong Kong time. Japan's Topix index advanced 0.7 percent. Hang Seng rose 0.3 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index advanced 0.3 percent. Futures on the S&P 500 dropped 0.2 percent. The S&P 500 Index gained 1.3 percent Friday, to the highest since Dec. 6.

Currencies

The yen gained 0.2 percent to 109.54 per dollar. The offshore yuan held at 6.7991 per dollar. The euro bought $1.1377, up 0.1 percent. The pound traded 0.1 percent lower at $1.2865.

Bonds

The yield on 10-year Treasuries rose three basis points to 2.78 percent Friday. Australia's 10-year bond yielded 2.32 percent.

Commodities

The Bloomberg Commodity Index gained 1.2 percent Friday to a five-week high. West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 0.5 percent to $53.56 a barrel.

To find out more information on the opportunities Trinity Investments Limited see's within the US markets in 2019, contact us today at info@trinity-investments.com or visit our website www.trinity investments.com to find out more about their services and products available.