(MENAFN- AFP) World stock markets advanced Friday as investors awaited what they hoped will be encouraging news from US-China trade talks in Washington, dealers said.
Europe's key equity markets were up to around 0.5 percent higher, building on earlier Asian gains.
Wall Street was also modestly higher at the opening bell in New York, as US economic concerns appeared to be eclipsed by hopes that high-level talks between the United States and China will seal a trade war truce.
"Global equities saw some modest gains... as investors await results from the Sino-US trade talks," said Oanda analyst Dean Popplewell.
"Will we get some concrete news or perhaps an announcement of an extension of the March 1 deadline for implementing further US tariffs?"
And with the March deadline approaching, US President Donald Trump will meet with China's top negotiator and Xi Jinping's top economics envoy, Liu He, on Friday.
- No 'meaningful' deal? -
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) meanwhile forecast that the two sides will make "some progress" -- but were unlikely to clinch any "meaningful" deal.
"The likelihood that the US and China will make some progress in the ongoing trade talks has increased as a result of mounting domestic pressure in both economies," noted EIU global economist Cailin Birch in a report.
"Nonetheless, we do not expect a meaningful agreement, as the US and China enter into a strategic competition for economic -- and particularly technological -- dominance."
The EIU added that any deal would therefore only provide "temporary relief" from trade tensions.
- Key figures around 1430 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 7,193.13 points
Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.4 percent at 11,468.15
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 5,210.85
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.2 percent at 3,268.55
New York - Dow: UP 0.4 percent at 25,944.24
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.2 percent at 21,425.51 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.7 percent at 28,816.30 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.9 percent at 2,804.23 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1337 from $1.1336 at 2200 GMT
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3011 from $1.3043
Euro/pound: UP at 87.14 pence from 86.92 pence
Dollar/yen: FLAT at 110.70 yen
Oil - Brent Crude: UP 51 cents at $67.58 per barrel
Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP 77 cents at $57.73
burs-jh/ach
MENAFN2202201901430000ID1098157974
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.