Stock markets across Asia have experienced a rise, with technology shares leading the gains. This uplift is attributed to optimism surrounding ongoing discussions between the US and China concerning trade and artificial intelligence.
These talks, involving US and Chinese economic officials, took place on Sunday and precede a highly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for Thursday in Washington.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the two nations discussed establishing a communication channel for AI issues, to be known as the “US-China AI dialogue.” Chinese state media characterised the talks as “candid, in-depth and constructive.”
In parallel, oil prices have seen a sharp decline, adding to previous falls. Brent crude, the global benchmark, dropped over 2% to $101.8 a barrel, a decrease of $2.01, though it remains above $100.