{"id":642537,"date":"2026-05-14T11:30:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T11:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/642537\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T11:30:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T11:30:11","slug":"asia-stocks-uneven-as-investors-assess-high-stakes-trump-xi-talks-ai-rally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/642537\/","title":{"rendered":"Asia stocks uneven as investors assess high-stakes Trump-Xi talks, AI rally"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"US US President Donald Trump (L) takes part in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (Brendan SMIALOWSKI) \u00b7 Brendan SMIALOWSKI\/AFP\/AFP <\/p>\n

Asian markets were mixed Thursday as investors weighed high-stakes US-China talks and persistent inflation concerns, which tempered optimism fuelled by record highs on Wall Street.<\/p>\n

US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Beijing for a closely watched summit that covered thorny issues including Taiwan, but yielded few concrete outcomes in its opening phase.<\/p>\n

The cautious mood came after another tech-led rally on Wall Street, where the Nasdaq and S&P 500 hit record highs, driven by continued enthusiasm for artificial intelligence investment.<\/p>\n

Trump praised Xi as a “great leader” and “friend”, predicting a “fantastic future together” in talks lasting more than two hours at the Great Hall of the People.<\/p>\n

Xi, however, delivered a blunt warning on Taiwan — which Beijing claims as its territory — saying missteps could push the two powers into conflict.<\/p>\n

Accompanying Trump was a US delegation including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and high-powered business leaders such as Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Apple’s Tim Cook and Tesla’s Elon Musk.<\/p>\n

“China’s doors to the outside world will open wider and wider… American companies will enjoy even brighter prospects in China,” Xi told the business executives, according to Chinese state media.<\/p>\n

Experts said the presence of top executives underscored the deep economic interdependence between the two nations despite years of tensions and talk of decoupling.<\/p>\n

SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes said in a comment that Beijing used the summit to project “stability, strategic coexistence, and economic interdependence”.<\/p>\n

“The presence of top US corporate leaders highlighted how deeply connected the American and Chinese economic systems still remain,” he added.<\/p>\n

He warned the key risks facing markets were increasingly intertwined.<\/p>\n

“Rare earths, AI, Taiwan, and the Strait of Hormuz are now interconnected strategic pressure points shaping the next phase of global market risk,” Innes said.<\/p>\n

The meeting in Beijing took place against the backdrop of conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and driven energy prices higher.<\/p>\n

International benchmark Brent crude hovered just above $105 a barrel on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Across Asia, Seoul led gains as the Kospi climbed 1.75 percent, nearing the 8,000 mark. Taipei, Mumbai, Bangkok and Manila also advanced.<\/p>\n

Shanghai, Tokyo, Jakarta, Wellington and Singapore slid. Hong Kong was flat.<\/p>\n

Following Wall Street’s lead, Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn reported a 19-percent jump in quarterly net profit, fuelled by booming demand for AI servers, and forecast strong growth in shipments this year.<\/p>\n

But there were signs of strain elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Japanese automaker Honda announced a $2.6 billion operating loss, its first since 1957, after a sweeping overhaul of its electric vehicle strategy in the United States, citing heavy charges and policy shifts under the Trump administration.<\/p>\n

Honda blamed tariffs and the removal of EV incentives, as well as intensifying competition in China.<\/p>\n

London, Paris and Frankfurt opened on the front foot, tracking the positive lead from Wall Street.<\/p>\n

The Nasdaq led major US indices Wednesday, piling on 1.2 percent behind big gains in most tech giants, including Nvidia and Google parent Alphabet.<\/p>\n

That came despite a US wholesale inflation report that greatly exceeded expectations, following Tuesday’s rise in the consumer price index.<\/p>\n

Wholesale prices rose six percent for the 12 months ending in April, according to US Department of Labor data.<\/p>\n

Month-on-month increases greatly exceeded expectations and were at their highest level since March 2022.<\/p>\n

– Key figures at around 0820\u00a0GMT –<\/p>\n

Brent North Sea Crude:\u00a0UP 1.20 percent at 106.90 a barrel<\/p>\n

West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.20 percent at 102.18 a barrel<\/p>\n

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.0 percent at 62,654.05 (close)<\/p>\n

Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 26,389.04 (close)<\/p>\n

Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 1.5 percent at 4,177.92\u00a0(close)<\/p>\n

London – FTSE 100: FLAT at 10,321.42<\/p>\n

Pound\/dollar: DOWN at 1.3514 from $1.3522 on Wednesday<\/p>\n

Euro\/pound: UP at 86.65 from 86.59<\/p>\n

Euro\/dollar: DOWN at 1.1709 from $1.1714<\/p>\n

Dollar\/yen: UP at 157.89 from 157.87<\/p>\n

New York – DOW: DOWN 0.1 percent at 49,693.20 (close)<\/p>\n

New York – S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 7,444.25 (close)<\/p>\n

New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.2 percent 26,402.34 (close)<\/p>\n

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