Investors focus on US-China trade, Powell speech

WITH the earnings season for the April-June period largely over, investors in Asia have their attention firmly set on US-China trade matters and the state of affairs in Hong Kong.

Global equity markets faced weeks of sell-offs after US President Donald Trump indicated a move to implement tariffs on the remaining Chinese imports to the United States.

Emerging market currencies have also taken a hit due to the growing uncertainty over the trade relationship between the two superpowers and worsening macroeconomic conditions. This has resulted in investors shifting funds into safe-haven assets like gold, the yen and more defensive stocks.