Asian markets ended lower on Thursday as trade experts have warned the completion of a ‘phase one’ US-China trade deal could slip into next year. Adding to the tensions between the world's two biggest economies, the US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed two bills to back protesters in Hong Kong and send a warning to China about human rights, with President Donald Trump expected to sign the legislation passed by both chambers of Congress. Japanese shares closed lower on concerns of delay in US-China trade deal, but pared losses after China’s vice premier, Liu He, reportedly said he was ‘cautiously optimistic’ about getting to a preliminary phase One trade pact with the United States.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,903.64 | -7.41 | -0.25 |
Hang Seng | 26,466.88 | -422.73 | -1.57 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,117.36 | -37.75 | -0.61 |
KLSE Composite | 1,592.19 | -8.95 | -0.56 |
Nikkei 225 | 23,038.58 | -109.99 | -0.48 |
Straits Times | 3,192.21 | -37.57 | -1.16 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,096.60 | -28.72 | -1.35 |
Taiwan Weighted | 11,558.27 | -72.93 | -0.63 |
