Asian shares rise on hopes for US-China trade talks

Asian shares rose Wednesday amid hopes for US-China trade talks.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 added 1.7 per cent in early trading to 21,501.95. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.8 per cent to 5,618.70. South Korea’s Kospi was up nearly 1.0 per cent at 2,073.20.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 1.5 per cent to 26,166.63, while the Shanghai Composite index rose 0.5 percent to 2,607.24, reports AP.

The S&P 500 dipped by 0.94 points, or less than 0.1 per cent, to 2,636.78, while the Dow Jones industrial average fell 53.02, or 0.2 per cent, to 24,370.24.

The Nasdaq composite rose 11.31, or 0.2 per cent, to 7,031.83. Slightly more stocks fell on the New York Stock Exchange than rose.

Benchmark US crude oil gained 64 cents to $52.29 a barrel. It rose 65 cents to settle at $51.65 per barrel Tuesday. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 67 cents to $60.87.

The dollar rose to 113.49 Japanese yen from 113.08 yen late Tuesday. The euro slipped to $ 1.1333 from $1.1384.