Asian Shares Mixed Before US Jobs Report

(RTTNews) - Asian shares ended mixed on Thursday as investors reacted to a U.S.-Vietnam trade deal and awaited the monthly U.S. nonfarm payroll data later in the day for directional cues.

As companies face uncertainty from Donald Trump's shifting tariffs, supply chain disruptions and rising costs, the June employment report is expected to show slower hiring and the highest unemployment rate since 2021.

The dollar struggled to find direction, hovering around three-year lows after a slew of indicators pointed to potential U.S. economic slowdown.

Gold was little changed above $3,350 per ounce while oil prices fell nearly 1 percent due to concerns over weak U.S. demand.

China's Shanghai Composite index edged up by 0.18 percent to 3,461.15 as the Trump administration lifted recent export license requirements for chip design software sales in China.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.63 percent to 24,069.94, with EV and tech stocks pacing the decliners on fears over slowing Chinese growth. Earlier in the day, a private survey showed China's services activity growth hit a nine-month low in June.

Japanese markets fluctuated before ending little changed due to ongoing uncertainty over a trade deal with the United States and the threat of heavy tariffs.

The Nikkei finished marginally higher at 39,785.90 while the broader Topix index settled 0.10 percent higher at 2,828.99. Steelmakers jumped, with JFE Holdings surging 5.4 percent.

Seoul stocks rose sharply, with sentiment underpinned by the revision of the shareholder-friendly Commercial Act and expectations around Seoul's trade talks with the United States.

The Kospi average rallied 1.34 percent to 3,116.27, led by gains in steel and tech stocks.

Australian markets recovered from an early slide to end on a flat note after closing at a record high the previous day.

Banks succumbed to profit taking, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia falling 2.2 percent. Mining giant BHP surged 5.6 percent in its best session in over four years.

Across the Tasman, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX-50 index fell 0.62 percent to 12,704.48, snapping a five-day winning streak.

U.S. stocks ended mostly higher overnight as President Donald Trump's announcement of a trade deal between the U.S. and Vietnam helped offset data that showed U.S. private payrolls fell unexpectedly in June and job gains in the prior month were smaller than initially thought.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 gained 0.9 percent and half a percent, respectively to close at record highs while the narrower Dow finished marginally lower.