Asian markets were mixed in early trading Thursday, as the U.S. and China kicked off a new round of trade talks in Washington.
China’s chief negotiator, Liu He, was scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday, and Larry Kudlow, Trump’s top economic adviser, expressed optimism that the two sides can come closer to a final agreement this week.
Read: Kudlow hopeful that U.S., China will ‘get closer’ to trade deal as talks resume
Japan’s Nikkei NIK, -0.05% rose 0.2%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index HSI, -0.56% retreated 0.5%. The Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, +0.56% gained 0.4%, and South Korea’s Kospi SEU, +0.20% advanced 0.2%. Singapore’s Straits Times Index STI, -0.17% fell slightly, while Indonesia’s JSX JAKIDX, +0.36% gained. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 XJO, -0.93% fell 0.8%
Among individual stocks, Japan Display 6740, +4.76% rallied in Tokyo trading after a report that it would supply OLED screens for Apple Watches starting later this year. Meanwhile, e-commerce company Rakuten 4755, +2.06% gained while oil producer Inpex 1605, -3.11% slipped. In Hong Kong, CNOOC 0883, -1.78% and AIA Group 1299, -1.11% fell, along with many companies in the real-estate sector. Samsung 005930, +0.54% edged up in Korea, while Beach Energy BPT, -4.07% , Oil Search OSH, -1.86% and Woodside Petroleum WPL, -2.02% slid in Australia.
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