Hong Kong
Asian markets were mixed on Friday as investors await fresh catalysts to drive business, though with the China-US trade deal agreed and Christmas approaching many are in wind-down mode.
Wall Street provided yet another record-breaking lead, with all three main indexes being helped to all-time highs by news that a revised US-Canada-Mexico pact had finally been agreed.
Concerns that pen had not yet been put to paper on the China-US pact were soothed by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said a technical review was taking place and it would be signed in early January.
Regional equities swung back and forth through the morning session, with investors now turning an eye to the festive break and observers indicating next year could see further gains.
“Agreement of the phase one deal between the US and China has removed quite a lot of the uncertainties in the outlook for 2020,” said Stephen Innes, senior market analyst at AxiTrader. “And with the global growth revival trade looking better and better by the day, equity investors are revelling in the holiday cheer.”—AFP
