BANGKOK (AP) ‐ Shares are gaining in Asia after upbeat comments from President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials on the status of trade negotiations with China.The Kospi in South Korea led gains, jumping 1.3% to 2,090.88, thanks to gains in technology companies overnight on Wall Street. Australia’s S&P ASX 200 added 0.3% to 6,674.30. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong picked up 0.2% to 26,765.87, while the Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.1% to 2,936.99. India’s Sensex edged 0.1% higher to 39,320.90.
Shares rose in Taiwan, Bangkok and most of Southeast Asia.
Trump told reporters Monday that he was hoping to sign a trade deal with China next month at a summit in Chile, "or whenever that might be."
On again, off again talks on resolving a dispute over trade and China’s technology policies have dragged on for over a year, with both sides imposing billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs on each other’s goods. The most recent round, earlier this month in Washington, helped forestall a new round of tariff hikes on imports from China that would have escalated tensions.