Hong Kong (AFP) – Markets were mixed Wednesday as investors kept tabs on China-US developments after they agreed to further talks to extend their trade truce. Eyes were also on tech earnings and a key Federal Reserve meeting. After deals were reached with the European Union and Japan over the past week, the focus has been on negotiations between Washington and Beijing to extend an agreement to lower eye-watering tariffs that threatened the world’s top economies.
The two-day meeting in Stockholm ended without a resolution but with the US team voicing optimism they could announce a second 90-day truce. Neither side has made public any details, although US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said President Donald Trump would have the “final call” on any extension. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the tone of the talks “very constructive.” Chris Weston at Pepperstone said: “Progress on a further extension remains the well-subscribed base case, but Trump holds the final call on that, and we note there is still ample time until we reach the deadline of 12 August.”
For now, the markets are unperturbed by what they hear and have a further impending 90-day extension fully priced. The general feeling is that the moratorium will be extended, but there remains some nervousness, with many other countries still to reach agreements ahead of Trump’s August 1 deadline. Among those countries still to reach a deal are Brazil, which faces 50 percent tariffs, India, and South Korea. The president on Tuesday said New Delhi could face a 20-25 percent rate, adding: “India has been a good friend, but India has charged basically more tariffs than almost any other country. You just can’t do that.”
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Wellington, Jakarta, and Manila were down, while Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei, Mumbai, and Bangkok rose. Paris rose as data showed French economic growth topped forecasts in the second quarter and accelerated from the first three months of the year. London and Frankfurt edged down. Major earnings releases from tech titans Meta and Microsoft are due Wednesday, with Amazon and Apple coming Thursday. “It’s been a solid US reporting season so far, but these mega-cap names need to run it hot and blow the lights out, given the bar to please has been sufficiently raised,” Pepperstone’s Weston said.
As well as the results, focus will be on the firms’ forecasts in light of Trump’s tariffs and their colossal investments in artificial intelligence. The Fed is widely expected to stand pat on interest rates Wednesday, but investors will be looking for any hint of a cut in September after recent economic data indicated some softening in the labor market. Oil prices held Tuesday’s gains of more than three percent — their biggest in six weeks, according to Bloomberg News — after Trump reiterated his warning of fresh sanctions on Russia unless it reaches a truce deal with Ukraine.
Key figures at around 0810 GMT:
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.1 percent at 40,654.70 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.4 percent at 25,176.93 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,615.72 (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 9,096.01
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1556 from $1.1554 on Tuesday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3364 from $1.3357
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 148.01 yen from 148.50 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 86.48 pence from 86.47 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $69.40 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $72.79 per barrel
New York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 44,632.99 (close)
© 2024 AFP
