Delhi, 6 May (H.S.): Most Asian stock markets experienced gains on Tuesday, primarily driven by Chinese shares, as optimism about potential U.S.-China trade talks lifted sentiment. Investors were also processing new services activity data from China, the world’s second-largest economy. Major markets like Japan and South Korea were closed for holidays, resulting in lower trading volumes across the region.

U.S. stock index futures dipped slightly during Asian trading as investors awaited the key Federal Reserve policy meeting later in the day. The Shanghai Composite index in China rose by 0.8%, with the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 increasing by 0.9%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index added 0.5%. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed hope for progress in U.S.-China trade discussions, following President Trump’s recent remarks about ongoing trade talks with several nations, including China. China recently indicated its willingness to evaluate trade dialogues, emphasizing the need for sincerity and the removal of unilateral tariffs.

Moreover, China’s services sector reported slower-than-expected growth in April, leading investors to look forward to upcoming trade balance and consumer price data scheduled for release on Friday. Meanwhile, Australian and Singaporean markets remained subdued as participants awaited insights from the Fed meeting. Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite Index rose by 0.7%, while the Philippines’ PSEi Composite was up 0.4%. India’s Nifty 50 Futures fell by 0.1% amid rising tensions with Pakistan.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar