Asian Stocks Surge Following Positive Trade Talks With U.S., Yen Weakens

Asian stock markets rallied on Thursday, spurred by successful trade negotiations between the U.S. and Japan. The Topix index in Japan jumped 1%, leading regional gains, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.6%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.6% and the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.2%. U.S. stock futures also saw a positive move with gains of 0.7%, while Euro Stoxx 50 futures dipped 0.3%. The yen weakened following Japan’s top negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, stating that currency exchange rates weren’t on the agenda. Meanwhile, the euro and offshore yuan slipped slightly against the dollar.