US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday he was"deeply troubled" by Lai's arrest, calling it"further proof that the CCP has eviscerated Hong Kong's freedoms and eroded the rights of its people.""With trade talks – via videoconference – scheduled for Saturday , you’d think investors would be in a state of distress over the tinderbox situation between the two superpowers," said market analyst Connor Campbell at Spreadex.
"Instead the markets were fairly blasé about a topic that has caused triple-digit losses in the past," he added. The developments have put the spotlight on Saturday's meeting of trade officials to review their"phase one" deal signed in January. National Australia Bank's Tapas Strickland said:"The running assumption in markets has been President Trump needed the phase one deal to succeed this side of the November elections to secure the midwest" farming belt.Key figures around 9:15 pm GMTNew York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.4% at 10,968.36 Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.4% at 4,909.51 Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.8% at 3,379.25 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1737 from $1.1787 on Friday, August 7Euro/pound: DOWN at 89.79 pence from 90.