Pedestrians walk past electronic board showing the Nikkei stock index outside a brokerage in Tokyo January 7, 2019. — Reuters pic
That followed comments from Trump on Friday that he had asked China to immediately remove all tariffs on US agricultural products because trade talks were progressing well. He also delayed previously scheduled plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods. Tai listed the prospective Trump-Xi trade summit among such events while China's National People's Congress could provide clues on new policies aimed at boosting Asia's largest economy.
“While it will take time for economic data to stabilise from the current slowdown, policy shifts by central banks and governments, especially in the US and China, should help support investor confidence for now,” Tai noted. In addition, a US Commerce Department report showed tame inflation pressures and US personal income falling for the first time in more than three years in January.