Asian share market rises on trade war truce hopes

MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.2%. Australian stocks rose 0.9%, South Korea`s KOSPI added 0.15% and Japan`s Nikkei edged up 0.05%.

Asian stocks made modest gains on Tuesday after the Trump administration shelved plans for tariffs against Mexico, lifting Wall Street. Photo: Reuters

Asian stocks made modest gains on Tuesday after the Trump administration shelved plans for tariffs against Mexico, lifting Wall Street, however, fresh U.S. trade threats against China are expected to limit any major investor sentiment boost. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was ready to impose another round of punitive tariffs on Chinese imports if he cannot make progress in trade talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit.

The U.S. president has repeatedly said he expected to meet Xi at the June 28-29 summit in Osaka, Japan although China is yet to confirm any such meeting. MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.2%. Australian stocks rose 0.9%, South Korea`s KOSPI added 0.15% and Japan`s Nikkei edged up 0.05%.

U.S. stocks extended their recent climb on Monday, with the Dow rising for the sixth trading day following a decision by the United States to forego imposing tariffs on Mexican goods.

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"The lift from the U.S.-Mexico trade development is likely to be a temporary one for the equity markets as the bigger issue between the United States and China remains unresolved," said Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management.

"Nervousness will prevail in the markets until the G20 summit. And there is no guarantee that matters will improve even if the U.S. and Chinese leaders meet at the summit."

In the currency markets, the dollar gave up some of the modest gains it made against its peers overnight on news that the United States and Mexico agreed on a deal to avoid tariffs.

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