Hong Kong, Shanghai Stocks Flat At Midday Break

Hong Kong shares went into the break barely moved on Tuesday as profit-taking offset fresh hopes for trade talks and a US decision to delay a ban on sales to Huawei.

The Hang Seng Index ended the morning session at 26,294.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index also lost steam, ending flat at 2,885 while the Shenzhen Composite index gained 0.5 percent, to 1,579.

Tokyo was up 0.4 percent by lunch break. Sydney gained 0.6 percent, Singapore, Seoul and Taipei each put on 0.3 percent and Wellington rose 0.6 percent. Manila and Jakarta were both down.

Investors were also cheered by further signs of easing tensions in the China-US trade war. But that was tempered by new restrictions by the US Commerce Department on Huawei subsidiaries and affiliates.

The "details don't necessarily suggest the US is making too many concessions on the China trade negotiations", said Rodrigo Catril, senior forex strategist at National Australia Bank.

Oil prices were flat, holding Monday's strong gains – when Brent jumped 1.9 percent and WTI 2.4 percent – on hopes for the trade talks and stimulus and following a strike by Yemeni rebels on a Saudi Arabian oil field at the weekend. (AFP)

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