On September 26, World shares mostly rose Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested a costly tariff war with China could be resolved soon. Germany’s DAX advanced 0.5% to 12,290 and the CAC 40 in Paris climbed 0.7% to 5,623. Britain’s FTSE gained 1.1% to 7,367. Wall Street looked set for gains, with futures for the Dow and the S&P 500 up 0.2%. Stocks began rising Wednesday after Trump told reporters that China wants “to make a deal very badly” and it “could happen sooner than you think.”

“Investors have been ‘trade war’ bearish for so long that any sliver of optimism is cheered,” said Stephen Innes of AxiTrader in a report.

Market rises in Asia

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 picked up 0.1% to 22,048.24 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.4% to 26,041.93. The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.9% to 2,929.09. Traders took profits before trading halts next week for the National Day holiday following an extended rise in prices, especially for tech stocks. “To avoid uncertainty, funds will sell and pocket their money,” the China Securities Journal said on its website. Seoul’s Kospi was up 1 point at 2,074.52 while Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 retreated 0.5% to 6,677.60. India’s Sensex added 1.1% to 39,009.11.

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The US-China dispute

The U.S.-Chinese dispute over Beijing’s trade surplus and technology ambitions has fueled anxiety the global economy could tip into recession. Both sides have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each other’s goods, hurting factories and farmers on both sides. Adding to the optimism, a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman on Thursday confirmed reports that importers had completed deals for purchases of American pork and soybeans. Negotiators are due to meet next month in Washington for the 13th round of talks. Economists say a temporary deal is possible but a final settlement is unlikely this year.

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Deal with Japan

Trump signed a trade deal with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on Wednesday that covers farm, industrial and digital trade but leaves tariffs on autos and parts at 2.5%. That prompted Japanese automakers to appeal to their government for more support. The deal caps negotiations that began last year after Trump complained about Japan’s trade surplus with the United States and threatened higher tariffs and other measures. The deal with Japan “suggests the president is open to an ‘interim’ trade deal, possibly signaling he is willing to negotiate one with China,” said Innes. Investors meanwhile largely shrugged off news of impeachment proceedings against Trump, though they will monitor its progress as a congressional probe might complicate White House efforts to resolve trade disputes with China and other nations.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude fell 3 cents to $56.46 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract lost 80 cents on Wednesday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 10 cents to $61.33 per barrel in London. The contract declined 69 cents in the previous session.

CURRENCY: The dollar declined to 107.66 yen from Wednesday’s 107.75 yen. The euro slipped to $1.0937 from $1.0944 after a German member of the European Central Bank’s top council quit, possibly over a disagreement with new stimulus measures.

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