Trade hopes lift Asia markets but investors eye deadline

A currency trader reading documents at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. - AP

Hong Kong: Optimism over the China-US trade talks kept Asian markets buoyant on Friday (Dec 6), with investors betting the two will eventually sign a partial deal, though they remain nervous as next week's deadline for fresh tariffs draws closer.

Sentiment across trading floors has ebbed and flowed through the week as observers try to gauge the state of play in the long-running negotiations, with both sides making positive, then negative comments on the outlook.