Asian markets were mixed on Friday as trade talks ended in Washington with no deal but the promise of a second meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Gains were limited by a private survey showing that Chinese manufacturing slowed to the lowest level in almost three years.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 0.2 per cent to 27,885.90 while the Shanghai Composite index jumped 0.8 per cent to 2,604.57. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 0.2 per cent to 20,803.38.
South Korea’s Kospi edged 0.1 per cent higher to 2,209.08. Australia’s S&P ASX 200 was flat at 5,865.30. Shares rebounded in the Philippines and were higher in Singapore and Indonesia.
Markets in Taiwan were closed, reports AP.
The S&P 500 index added 0.9 per cent to 2,704.10. It rose 7.9 percent in January, its best monthly gain since October 2015. The Dow Jones Industrial Average eased 0.1 per cent to 24,999.67.
The Nasdaq composite jumped 1.4 per cent to 7,281.74. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks added 0.8 per cent to 1,499.42.
Benchmark US crude gave up 8 cents to $53.71 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It lost 44 cents to settle at $53.79 per barrel on Thursday.
Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 3 cents to $60.87 per barrel. The contract dropped 70 cents to $60.84 per barrel in London.
The dollar was trading at 108.85 yen, down from 108.89 yen late Thursday. The euro eased to $1.1442 from $1.1445.
