Trump remarks chill markets but STI holds on to end flat

INVESTORS had days off from trading in many Asian markets this week. But whether their minds were truly on holiday, that's another matter altogether.

Regardless, they were certainly rudely awakened from their festive bliss with a not-so-festive message from the Trump administration.

With the US President's economic adviser Larry Kudlow saying the US and China have a long way to go in their talks, Mr Donald Trump added fuel to fire by announcing that his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping would not take place before new, punitive US tariffs on China goods kick in on March 1.