In This Article:
* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* U.S. and China extend olive branches before trade talks
* Focus on how far ECB will ease policy
* Oil recovers from overnight tumble
By Stanley White
TOKYO, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Asian stocks rose on Thursday on hopes for a thaw in U.S.-China trade frictions and expectations that the European Central Bank will kick off another wave of monetary easing by global central banks.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.2% and Japan's Nikkei stock index rose 1%. Australian shares were up 0.41%.
U.S. stock futures jumped and safe-havens such as the yen and gold fell after U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to delay an additional increase in tariffs on Chinese goods by two weeks at the request of China's Vice Premier Liu He "as a gesture of good will."
Oil prices rose in Asia, rebounding from a tumble on Wednesday, on hopes OPEC members will cut output to support prices.
Any easing of concerns about the bruising trade war is likely to help equities extend their rally this month after a tumultuous August.
Investors also await an ECB meeting later on Thursday to see how far policymakers will go to support a flagging economy, given the risks posed by Britain's divorce from the European Union, commonly referred to as Brexit.
"Trump's comments are likely to put a little juice in the market, but it could be gone tomorrow," said Hugh Dive, chief investment officer at Atlas Funds Management in Sydney.
"Some in the market react to small changes in negotiating positions because Trump is negotiating in the open. I'm more concerned about Brexit, because there is some complacency in the EU about this."
U.S. stock futures rose 0.57% in Asia on Thursday after the S&P 500 ended 0.72% higher in New York on Wednesday.
The dollar briefly rose to a six-week high of 108.04 yen before paring gains slightly to trade up 0.12% at 107.36 yen.
Spot gold fell 0.23% to $1492.80 per ounce.
Trump's delay of additional tariffs on Chinese goods comes one day after China said it would exempt 16 types of U.S. products from import tariffs.
The world's two largest economies have been locked in a year-long battle over Beijing's trade practices that has threatened to push other economies into recession.
The gestures of goodwill raise hopes both sides can narrow their differences before working-level resume talks in mid-September and high-level trade negotiations that are expected in October.
The euro held steady at $1.1013 but traded near a one-week low. The ECB is set to unveil fresh stimulus measures on Thursday but its exact moves are far from certain.