Shanghai Composite Index

Xi, Trump Kick Off Bilateral Talks

Beijing's Welcome Ceremony for Trump Ends

China Stocks Open Higher as Xi Welcomes Trump in Beijing

China stocks opened higher on Thursday as President Xi Jinping welcomed his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for their high-stakes summit.The Shanghai Composite Index, the main gauge of Chinese stocks, opened 0.3% higher at 4,255.32. The Shenzhen Component Index rose 0.6% at the opening bell to 16,189.64.The meeting between the leaders of the world's two largest economies, delayed due to the war in Iran, could focus on artificial intelligence, tariffs, and geopolitical issues, among others, multiple media reported.Global tech bosses joined Trump on this trip, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla's Elon Musk.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said China should take a more "active role" in resolving the conflict in Iran and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Fox News reported Wednesday.

Trump, Xi Shake Hands on Red Carpet Ahead of High-Stakes Summit in Beijing

Trump's Motorcade Heads to Beijing's Great Hall of the People

Xi to Receive Trump at Beijing's Great Hall of the People Shortly

Market Chatter: US-China Said Expected to Cut Tariffs on Certain Goods in Beijing Summit

The US and China are expected to launch a so-called "Board of Trade" mechanism this week, with each side potentially identifying $30 billion worth of goods on which they could cut tariffs, Reuters reported Wednesday.US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer proposed the approach in March as a key "deliverable" agreement for the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the report said.Ahead of the Trump-Xi summit, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met for three hours in Incheon, South Korea, to lay the groundwork for economic proposals for Trump and Xi to discuss in Beijing, Reuters said.The officials expect a $30 billion-for-$30 billion trade-barrier reduction framework agreement, Reuters said, citing four people familiar with the matter.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Market Chatter: US-China Summit to Discuss Trade After 30% Decline During Tariff War

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet on Thursday to discuss trade, a year after they paused a tariff war.However, despite the pause, US imports from China plummeted 30% in 2025, according to data from the US Commerce Department.Of the 19,000 goods tracked in an analysis by Nikkei, it found that for the top 100 goods where Chinese imports declined, 80% of that drop was filled by imports from India, Vietnam, and other countries.Laptop imports from China fell to 25% of their 2024 levels, with Vietnam absorbing 70% of the decline as imports from the country more than doubled, according to Nikkei on Thursday.India offset 90% of the decline in Chinese smartphone shipments, largely attributed to Apple moving iPhone production for the US market to India in early 2025, according to the report.Nikkei said it used Anthropic's Claude artificial intelligence tool in the trade analysis.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Tech Optimism, Earnings Lift Asian Stock Markets

Asian stock markets largely gained ground on Wednesday, as earnings results and tech-sector optimism more than offset concerns regarding rising crude prices and Persian Gulf turmoil.Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the green, as did most other regional exchanges.In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened evenly and rose to the close, finishing up 0.8% as a strong earnings season continued to undergird share prices.The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 529.54 to 63,272.11, striking a fresh all-time high, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 157 to 64.Leading the upside was medical-device outfit Olympus, up 19.8%, while construction enterprise Shimizu declined 9.7%, with both moves following earnings reports.In economic news, the seasonally adjusted Economy Watchers Survey current conditions index fell to 40.8 in April from 42.2 in March, the lowest reading since 2022.In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened evenly, waffled but finished up 0.2%The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 40.53 to 26,388.44 as losing issues outnumbered gainers 51 to 35. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 0.5% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 0.3%.Leading the upside was JD.com, gaining 8.3%, while Geely Automobile declined 5.2%.On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.7% to 4,242.57.On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 2.6%, again hitting a new all-time high on AI-sector optimism.The Taiwan TWSE declined 1.3%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.5%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 1.2%, and the Thai Set inclined 2.3%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was steady.The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index rose 0.6% on the day.

Market Chatter: China Diversifying Oil Purchases Ahead of Trump Visit

China is diversifying its crude oil sources to include the U.S. to boost its energy security ahead of the visit of President Donald Trump to Beijing, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday.For instance, China is poised to receive a shipment of oil from Iran via Indonesia, the report said.Before the war, China purchased about 90% of Iranian oil via third countries such as Malaysia, but in recent months, China-bound Iranian oil is believed to be transferred ship-to-ship off Malaysian and Indonesian waters, the report said.While China is purchasing Iranian oil, Beijing is also trying to gain leverage over the Washington by buying U.S. oil, the report said.Beijing is avoiding tapping into its strategic reserves to ensure it is not used against them in negotiations, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Market Chatter: US-China Police Join Forces in 'Unprecdented' Dubai Scam Bust

U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Chinese police cooperated in a joint Dubai operation targeting scam networks, days before the Xi-Trump summit in Beijing, The South China Morning Post reported Wednesday.Dubai Police said at least nine hubs were dismantled and 276 suspects arrested, according to the report.FBI Director Kash Patel called the cooperation "unprecedented," the SCMP wrote. Three suspects face U.S. fraud charges.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

China Stocks Rebound as Investors Await Trump-Xi Summit; Shenzhen's Tech Index Closes at All-Time High

China stocks recovered during Wednesday trading as investors brace for the impact of the meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Beijing this week.The Shanghai Composite Index, the main gauge of Chinese stocks, gained 0.7% or 28.08 points to reach 4,242.57. The Shenzhen Component Index rose 1.7% or by 264.83 points to 16,089.75.Shenzhen's ChiNext closed at an all-time high, rising 3% or by 103.45 points to 4,038.33.Shanghai's STAR Market Semiconductor Index closed 5% higher.Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joined other chief executives at the eleventh hour following a last-minute call from Trump, Reuters reported.Both Xi and Trump will hold their first face-to-face talks in more than six months to stabilize relations mired by trade disagreements, the Iran war, and other flashpoints, Reuters reported Wednesday."Geopolitics will be at the front of minds for many investors, particularly if the meeting helps energy supply concerns in the Gulf," Reuters quoted L&G's chief of investment strategy in Asia, Ben Bennett, as saying.However, investors are keeping their expectations low and are not looking for breakthroughs in the meeting between the two world powers, the newswire said."We've seen this movie before, and we know it doesn't end with a breakthrough agreement that resets the U.S.-China relationship. That creates a pretty low bar for success," the newswire quoted Rayliant Investment Research's Chief Research Officer Phillip Wool as saying.On the corporate front, Wuxi Huaguang Environment & Energy (SHA:600475) surged 10% at market close after associate Guolian Green Technology (Wuxi) applied for a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

TikTok Seeks Removal of EU Gatekeeper Status at Top Court Hearing

TikTok appealed to the European Union Court of Justice to remove its designation as a "gatekeeper" under the bloc's Digital Markets Act, according to a Tuesday press release.The video-sharing app obtained the designation in 2023 alongside other companies that have more than 45 million monthly views, according to Reuters.TikTok sought to challenge the designation, saying it has not yet reached the threshold, but a lower court dismissed the case, saying it met the criteria for "gatekeeper" status.During the hearing, ByteDance lawyer Bill Batchelor said the lower court erred in the case, arguing that TikTok did not gain significant market impact, did not act as a business gateway, and did not hold an entrenched market position.TikTok said up to 80% of its users use other platforms in parallel in a practice called "multihoming" and are not locked in to the app, the lawyer said.However, a European Commission lawyer negated TikTok's arguments, saying lock-in has occurred despite some level of multihoming.The EU Court of Justice will rule on the case in the coming months, Reuters said.

Market Chatter: Trump's China Trip to Boost Chinese Stocks, Morgan Stanley Says

U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to China is expected to bolster Chinese equities moderately if the current trade deal is extended, South China Morning Post reported Wednesday, citing Morgan Stanley.The American bank predicted Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index to rise 8% to 28,400, Hang Seng China Enterprises Index to increase 11% and MSCI China Index to climb by 12% in the second quarter, the report said.MSCI China could surge by up to 27% if U.S.-China bilateral relations improve, especially as China exits deflation, Morgan Stanley said, according to SCMP.Morgan Stanley's top sectors recommended for investment include energy and materials suppliers, healthcare, semiconductor and automation, the media outlet said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Market Chatter: China Urges Pakistan to Step Up Iran Mediation as Xi-Trump Summit Nears

China called on Pakistan to intensify mediation efforts in the Iran crisis, warning that escalating tensions could overshadow U.S. President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to Beijing, The South China Morning Post reported Wednesday.Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised Islamabad's role in extending the U.S.-Iran ceasefire but urged further action to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore regional peace, according to the report. Yang added that China will continue to support Pakistan's diplomatic push.Despite a truce extension brokered with Pakistani help, hostilities between the U.S. and Iran persist.Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called for closer coordination to safeguard regional stability, Reuters wrote.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Market Chatter: Investors Look Beyond Trade Tensions at Trump-Xi Summit

Investors are betting that trade disputes will take a back seat when U.S. President Donald Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Reuters reported Tuesday.Instead, investors are focused on artificial intelligence and possible easing of U.S. chip export curbs, according to the report.China's yuan has climbed to a three-year high, while the Shanghai Composite has reached an 11-year peak amid AI-driven export growth, Reuters wrote.Fund managers remain optimistic despite concerns over Iran, Taiwan and rare earths. Investors are closely watching whether Washington will allow more advanced NVIDIA chips into China, viewing AI development as the market's primary driver, Reuters cited Zeng Wanping, manager at Beijing Monolith Fund.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Market Chatter: Trump Shuns China's Help on Iran Ahead of High-Stakes Beijing Summit

US President Donald Trump said he does not need China's help to settle the conflict with Iran, Reuters reported Tuesday."I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise," the president reportedly said.The conflict has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, causing global disruptions to oil supplies and pricing.Iran has appeared to strengthen its hold on the Strait by canceling oil and LNG delivery contracts with Iraq and Pakistan, prompting other countries to seek alternative agreements, sources told Reuters.Trump is expected to discuss the Iran war with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing this week."We have a lot of things to discuss. I wouldn't say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control," Trump told reporters, as per the Associated Press.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Market Chatter: Nvidia CEO Joins Trump's Delegation to China in Last-Minute Decision

Jensen Huang, Nvidia's chief executive officer, joined U.S. President Donald Trump in his trip to China, according to a Wednesday report on Bloomberg News.Huang was previously reported as not being part of the US delegates to the trip, which included SpaceX and Tesla's Elon Musk, Apple's Tim Cook, Boeing's Kelly Ortberg and Meta's Dina Powell McCormick.The White House confirmed in an email the inclusion of Musk, Cook, Ortberg and McCormick, but did not mention Huang as being part of the US delegation.Huang was seen boarding Air Force One in an Alaskan stopover, according to the media outlet.White House spokesman Steven Cheung told Bloomberg there were changes in Huang's schedule, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Market Chatter: US CEOs Join Trump for China Summit in Market Access Push

A delegation of prominent U.S. executives, including leaders from Meta, Tesla, BlackRock, Illumina, Mastercard and Visa, will accompany Donald Trump during his May 14 to May 15 summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Reuters reported Tuesday.Unlike Trump's 2017 visit centered on large trade agreements, sources familiar with the matter said this year's delegation is focused on resolving regulatory and supply-chain issues in China, according to the report.Companies are seeking approvals, investment access and eased restrictions as tensions persist between the world's two largest economies, with the executives hoping the meeting will advance long-running business negotiations and improve commercial ties, Reuters wrote.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

US to Participate in APEC 2026 in China

The U.S. confirmed that it is sending a delegation to the second APEC 2026 Senior Officials' Meetings and Ministerial Meetings in China, which kicked off on Monday and will run through May 23.The U.S. State Department on Tuesday said the move is aimed at "advancing America First foreign, trade, and investment policies."The U.S. delegation includes U.S. Senior Official for APEC Casey Mace and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyberspace and Digital Policy John Mills to attend sessions covering trade and investment, digitalization and telecommunications, food safety, and the automotive industry.Paige Willey, Deputy Assistant to the President, will lead the U.S. delegation in Shanghai on Friday, while Ambassador Rick Switzer, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, will head the delegation in Suzhou from May 22 to May 24.The State Department made the announcement hours after U.S. President Donald Trump set off for Beijing for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.