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Japan’s hopes of achieving its first soft touchdown on the Moon by a private company were dashed Friday when the mission was aborted after an assumed crash-landing, the startup said.Tokyo-based ispace had hoped to make history as only the third private firm — and the first outside the United States — to achieve a controlled arrival on the lunar surface.But “based on the currently available data… it is currently assumed that the lander likely performed a hard landing”, the startup said.”It is unlikely that communication with the lander will be restored” so “it has been decided to conclude the mission”, ispace said in a statement.The failure comes two years after a prior mission ended in a crash.The company’s unmanned Resilience spacecraft began its daunting final descent and “successfully fired its main engine as planned to begin deceleration”, ispace said Friday.Mission control confirmed that the lander’s positioning was “nearly vertical” — but contact was then lost, with the mood on a livestream from mission control turning sombre.Technical problems meant “the lander was unable to decelerate sufficiently to reach the required speed for the planned lunar landing”, ispace said.- High-profile payloads -To date, only five nations have achieved soft lunar landings: the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India, and most recently Japan.Now, private companies are joining the race, promising cheaper and more frequent access to space.On board the Resilience lander were several high-profile payloads.They included Tenacious, a Luxembourg-built micro rover; a water electrolyser to split molecules into hydrogen and oxygen; a food production experiment; and a deep-space radiation probe.The rover also carried “Moonhouse” — a small model home designed by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg.”I take the fact that the second attempt failed to land seriously,” CEO Takeshi Hakamada told reporters.”But the most important thing is to use this result” for future missions, he said, describing a “strong will to move on, although we have to carefully analyse what happened”.Last year, Houston-based Intuitive Machines became the first private enterprise to reach the Moon.Though its uncrewed lander touched down at an awkward angle, it still managed to complete tests and transmit photos.Then in March this year, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost — launched on the same SpaceX rocket as ispace’s Resilience — aced its lunar landing attempt.- Never quit -The mood ahead of Friday’s attempt had been celebratory, with a watch party also held by iSpace’s US branch in Washington.After contact was lost, announcers on an ispace livestream signed off with the message: “Never quit the lunar quest.”The mission had also aimed to collect two lunar soil samples and sell them to NASA for $5,000.Though the samples would remain on the Moon, the symbolic transaction is meant to strengthen the US stance that commercial activity — though not sovereign claims — should be allowed on celestial bodies.Landing on the Moon is highly challenging as spacecraft must rely on precisely controlled thruster burning to slow their descent over treacherous terrain.Intuitive Machines’ second attempt at a Moon landing ended in disappointment in late March.Its spacecraft Athena, designed to touch down on a spot called the Mons Mouton plateau — closer to the lunar south pole than any previous mission — tipped over and was unable to recharge its solar-powered batteries.

Asian markets stuttered Friday as optimism from “very positive” talks between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping was wiped out by the stunning public row between the US leader and Elon Musk.The much-anticipated discussions between the heads of the world’s biggest economies fuelled hopes for an easing of tensions following the US leader’s “Liberation Day” global tariff blitz that targeted Beijing particularly hard.However, investors remained wary after an extraordinary social media row between Trump and billionaire former aide Musk that saw the two trade insults and threats, and sent Wall Street into the red.Wall Street’s three main indexes ended down as Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla tanked more than 14 percent and the president threatened his multibillion-dollar government contracts.Asian equities fluctuated in early business, with some observers suggesting traders were positioning for what could be a volatile start to next week in light of the row and upcoming US jobs data.Hong Kong dropped after three days of strong gains, while Shanghai and Taiwan also retreated.Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore and Wellington rose.Chris Weston at Pepperstone said that while the call with Xi was “seen as a step in the right direction, (it) proved to offer nothing tangible for traders to work with and attention has quickly pushed back to the Trump-Musk war of words”.”It’s all about US nonfarm payrolls from here and is an obvious risk that Asia-based traders need to consider pre-positioning for,” he added.He said there was a risk of Trump sparking market-moving headlines over the weekend given that he is “now fired up and the risk of him saying something through the weekend that moves markets on the Monday open is elevated”. The US jobs figures, which are due later Friday, will be closely followed after a below-par reading on private hiring this week raised worries about the labour market and outlook for the world’s top economy.They come amid bets that the Federal Reserve is preparing to resume cutting interest rates from September, even as economists warn that Trump’s tariffs could reignite inflation.Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management warned that while poor jobs figures could signal further weakness in the economy, a strong reading could deal a blow to the market.”In this upside-down market regime, strength can be weakness. A hotter-than-expected (figure) could force traders to price out Fed cuts. That’s the paradox in play—where good news on Main Street turns into bad news on Wall Street.”- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.5 percent at 37,730.67 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.3 percent at 23,844.13Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,382.06Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1435 from $1.1444 on ThursdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3567 from $1.3571Dollar/yen: UP at 143.84 yen from 143.58 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 84.27 pence from 84.31 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.3 percent at $63.16 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.3 percent at $65.17 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 42,319.74 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,811.04 (close)

Wall Street closed lower Thursday as a spat between President Donald Trump and his billionaire former aide Elon Musk spilled into the public eye, but global markets were mixed while investors assessed trade talks between Washington and Beijing.Major US indexes fell, with shares in Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla tanking more than 14 percent as the US leader threatened to tear up the tycoon’s government contracts.Trump expressed disappointment Thursday with his top donor’s criticisms of a “big, beautiful” spending bill before Congress, prompting Musk to hit back in real time.But markets were “holding up reasonably well” otherwise, said Patrick O’Hare of Briefing.com.Earlier Thursday, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a long-awaited call focused almost entirely on trade.”The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. He added that US and Chinese teams would hold a new meeting “shortly.”The market “initially took a positive view of that call,” O’Hare said. This was “largely because it seemed that the tone of the call was more conciliatory than combative.”Previously, the world’s two biggest economies blamed each other for jeopardizing a temporary truce in their escalating tariffs war.City Index and FOREX.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada said markets hoped the direct line between Washington and Beijing could ease trade tensions, even if momentarily.But he added: “It is super important that the Trump-Xi call now leads to some concrete movement.”Since his return to the White House, Trump has launched wide-ranging tariffs including a 10 percent levy on most US trading partners, while subjecting goods from China to elevated rates.- Euro boost -Meanwhile, the euro got a boost from the European Central Bank signaling an end to its rate-cut cycle.European stock markets closed mixed even though the ECB cut its key deposit rate a quarter point to two percent, as expected.It was its eighth reduction since June last year when it began lowering borrowing costs.But ECB President Christine Lagarde stated the central bank is “getting to the end” of the rate-cutting cycle.That sent the euro surging against the dollar and European stocks gave up earlier gains.The ECB’s series of cuts stands in contrast to the US Federal Reserve, which has kept rates on hold recently amid fears that Trump’s levies could stoke inflation in the world’s top economy.Investors are now looking to the release on Friday of US payrolls data, which could have a bearing on monetary policy.Other data has been mixed. April jobs openings data beat expectations but according to payroll firm ADP, private sector jobs rose by only 37,000 last month, slowing from April.Another survey showed activity in the US services sector contracted in May for the first time since June last year.The readings stoked concerns that the US economy was stuttering.The readings ramped up bets on a Fed cut, with markets pricing in two by the end of the year, starting in September.- Key figures at around 2100 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 42,319.74 points (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.5 percent at 5,939.30 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.8 percent at 19,298.45 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,790.27 (close) Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.2 percent at 24,323.58 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,811.04 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.5 percent at 37,554.49 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.1 percent at 23,906.97 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,384.10 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1444 from $1.1417 on WednesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3571 from $1.3548Dollar/yen: UP at 143.58 yen from 142.86 yenEuro/pound: UP at 84.31 pence from 84.26 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.7 percent at $65.34 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.8 percent at $63.37 per barrelburs-rl-bys/sla

A Japanese company lost contact with its Moon lander Resilience during a daunting final descent, dealing a blow to its bid to make history two years after a prior mission ended in a crash.Tokyo-based ispace had hoped to become only the third private firm — and the first outside the United States — to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface.Touchdown was scheduled for 4:17 am Japan time on Friday (1917 GMT Thursday) on the Mare Frigoris region of the Moon’s northern hemisphere, but the mood in mission control turned somber.Around 15 minutes after the scheduled time, announcers on a livestream, speaking through English interpreters, said: “Members of the MCC (Mission Control Center) will continuously attempt to communicate with the lander,” adding that further updates would come at a press conference.They signed off with the message: “Never quit the lunar quest.”Company CEO Takeshi Hakamada had struck an optimistic tone ahead of the attempt, saying iSpace had “leveraged the operational experience gained in Mission 1 and during this current voyage to the Moon.””I’m so looking forward to what’s going to happen today,” added JAXA president Hiroshi Yamakawa on the livestream before the descent. The mood had been celebratory, with a watch party also held by iSpace’s US branch in Washington.On board the lander were several high-profile payloads: Tenacious, a Luxembourg-built micro rover; a water electrolyzer to split molecules into hydrogen and oxygen; a food production experiment; and a deep-space radiation probe. The rover also carried “Moonhouse,” a model home designed by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg.The mission also aimed to collect two lunar soil samples and sell them to NASA for $5,000. Though the samples would remain on the Moon, the symbolic transaction is meant to strengthen the US stance that commercial activity — though not sovereign claims — should be allowed on celestial bodies.To date, only five nations have achieved soft lunar landings: the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India, and Japan.Now, private companies are joining the race, promising cheaper and more frequent access to space.Last year, Houston-based Intuitive Machines became the first private enterprise to reach the Moon. Though its uncrewed lander touched down at an awkward angle, it still managed to complete tests and transmit photos.Then in March this year, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost — launched on the same SpaceX rocket as ispace’s Resilience — aced its lunar landing attempt.Despite their rocket ride-share, Resilience took longer to reach the Moon than Blue Ghost, and ispace was now hoping for its own moment of glory, after its first mission resulted in an unsalvageable “hard landing” in 2023.Landing on the Moon is highly challenging as spacecraft must rely on precisely controlled thruster burning to slow their descent over treacherous terrain.Intuitive Machines’ second attempt at a Moon landing ended in disappointment in late March.Its spacecraft Athena, designed to touch down on a spot called the Mons Mouton plateau — closer to the lunar south pole than any previous mission — tipped over and was unable to recharge its solar-powered batteries.Meanwhile another Japanese startup, Space One, has been trying to become the country’s first private firm to put a satellite into orbit.Its latest rocket launch attempt in December blasted off but was later seen spiralling downwards in the distance as the company said the launch had to be terminated.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke Thursday, with both sides agreeing to talks to prevent an all-out trade war over tariffs and global rare earth supplies.Trump said the call reached a “very positive conclusion” and that they agreed to meet in person — but Beijing issued a more muted readout saying that Xi spoke of a need to “correct the course” of ties.The call — the first to be publicly announced since Trump returned to power in January — comes after Beijing and Washington accused each other of jeopardizing a trade war truce agreed last month in Geneva.Trump said a high-level US trade team including his treasury secretary, commerce secretary and US trade representative would meet Chinese officials soon.”The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries,” Trump said on Truth Social.”President Xi graciously invited the First Lady and me to visit China, and I reciprocated. As Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing,” he added.Trump said they would announce the time and place later.But the leaders did not discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Trump said, despite long-standing US hopes that Beijing could exert influence over Moscow to end the war.”The conversation was focused almost entirely on TRADE,” said Trump, adding that they hoped to have resolved issues over crucial rare earth minerals used in tech products.Relations between superpower rivals Beijing and Washington have been fraught since April, when Trump introduced sweeping worldwide tariffs that targeted China most heavily.At one point the United States hit China with additional levies of 145 percent on its goods as both sides engaged in tit-for-tat escalation. China’s countermeasures on US goods reached 125 percent.Trump had described Xi as recently as Wednesday as “extremely hard to make a deal with.” Chinese state media said Trump had requested the call. There was no immediate confirmation from the White House.- ‘Correcting the course’ -In its more restrained readout, Beijing said that relations needed more work.”Correcting the course of the big ship of Sino-US relations requires us to steer well and set the direction, especially to eliminate all kinds of interference and even destruction, which is particularly important,” Xi told Trump, according to state news agency Xinhua. The agency reported that the pair discussed the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory and has threatened to seize by force. Xi warned his US counterpart that Washington should handle the issue “with caution” to avoid Taiwanese separatists “dragging China and the United States into the danger of conflict,” Xinhua said. But Xi also extended Trump a welcome to return to China, according to the agency, following an earlier trip during his first term in 2017.Until Thursday, the two leaders had not had any confirmed contact since the Republican returned to power in January, despite frequent claims by the US president that such a call was imminent. Beijing and Washington agreed in Geneva last month to slash their staggeringly high tariffs for 90 days, but the two sides have since traded blame for derailing the deal.Trump argued last week that China had “totally violated” the terms, without providing further details.China’s commerce ministry hit back by saying the Trump administration had introduced “discriminatory restrictive measures,” including revoking some Chinese student visas in the United States.Trump has separately ramped up tensions with other trade partners, including the European Union, by vowing to double global tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 percent from Wednesday.

Wall Street stocks bounced higher Thursday after US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke amid their trade war, while the euro got a boost from the European Central Bank signalling an end to its rate-cut cycle.Wall Street’s major indices recovered from earlier losses after Trump posted that the call was positive.”The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries,” Trump said on Truth Social, adding that US and Chinese trade teams would hold a new meeting “shortly”.The call follows officials from the world’s two biggest economies accusing each other of jeopardising a trade war truce agreed last month in Geneva. City Index and FOREX.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada said “the markets were hoping that the direct line between Washington and Beijing could ease trade tensions, even if temporarily”.While he said that appears to have been the case, he added “it is super important that the Trump-Xi call now leads to some concrete movement”.After his return to the White House Trump launched a tariffs blitz, introducing a 10 percent minimum tariff and higher rates on many countries, with China subject to the highest rates.Some of the higher rates have been suspended as negotiations are under way.European stock markets closed mixed even though the ECB cut its key deposit rate a quarter point to two percent, as expected.It was its eighth reduction since June last year when it began lowering borrowing costs.But ECB President Christine Lagarde stated the central bank is “getting to the end” of the rate-cutting cycle, as inflation has largely dropped to its two percent target in the 20-nation currency bloc.That sent the euro surging against the dollar and European stocks gave up earlier gains.The ECB’s series of cuts stands in contrast to the US Federal Reserve, which has kept rates on hold recently amid fears that Trump’s levies could stoke inflation in the world’s top economy.Investors are now looking to the release on Friday of US non-farm payrolls data, which the Fed uses to help shape monetary policy.Other data released this week has been mixed. April jobs openings data beat expectations, but according to payroll firm ADP private-sector jobs rose by only 37,000 last month.This was a sharp slowdown from April’s 60,000 and less than a third of the amount forecast in a Bloomberg survey.Another survey showed activity in the US services sector contracted in May for the first time since June last year.The readings stoked concerns that the world’s number one economy was stuttering, with the Fed’s closely watched “Beige Book” study noting that “economic activity has declined slightly”.The readings ramped up bets on a Fed cut, with markets pricing in two by the end of the year, starting in September. Still, there is some concern that Trump’s tariff blitz will ramp up inflation, which could put pressure on the US central bank to keep borrowing costs elevated.- Key figures at around 1530 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 42,559.64 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP 0.4 percent at 5,996.55New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 19,602.62Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,790.27 (close) Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.2 percent at 24,323.58 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,811.04 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.5 percent at 37,554.49 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.1 percent at 23,906.97 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,384.10 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1448 from $1.1417 on WednesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3593 from $1.3548Dollar/yen: UP at 143.70 yen from 142.86 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 84.23 pence from 84.26 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.1 percent at $65.57 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.2 percent at $63.57 per barrelburs-rl/phz

Gamers finally got their hands on Nintendo’s new Switch 2 on Thursday, the console that could score record early sales for the Japanese “Super Mario” creator.The device, which features a bigger screen and more processing power, is an upgrade to the Switch that became a global phenomenon with hit games such as “Animal Crossing”.The original Switch has sold 152 million units since its 2017 release, making it the third-best-selling console ever.Consoles were still on the shelves at a central Paris electronics store by early afternoon Thursday, defying concerns of stock running out.”I’m not surprised, people planned ahead with pre-orders,” said Benoit Martins, 29, a construction project manager.He said he had been waiting “for months” to pick up his own new console — but did not turn out at midnight to secure it at the moment of release, as several dozen French fans had.In Tokyo, there had been no Switch 2’s available without preorders when stores opened Thursday morning.Lei Wang, 24, a recent graduate from China, said he had been “shocked” to win a preorder lottery as he queued to collect his device.”It’s basically just me who got picked… so I don’t really want to say anything” to less lucky friends, he said with a laugh.Shinichi Sekiguchi, 31, said he was so excited he forgot to bring his phone, while 33-year-old Kuro said she had taken a day off work to use her new console.”The improved graphics and the ability to play with a larger group — I think that’s a big deal,” she said.Serkan Toto from Tokyo consultancy Kantan Games said he “would not be surprised to see Switch 2 breaking sales records in the next weeks and months”.Nintendo’s online store had 2.2 million pre-order applications for the Switch 2 in Japan — an “insane number the industry has never seen before”, Toto told AFP.- Worth the price? -The Switch 2 has eight times the memory of the first Switch and its controllers, which attach with magnets, can also be used like a desktop computer mouse.New functions allowing users to chat as they play online and temporarily share games with friends could also be a big draw for young audiences used to watching game streamers.However, Nintendo has its work cut out to match the overall success of the original.Challenges include uncertainty over US trade tariffs and whether it can convince enough people to pay the high price for its new device.The Switch 2 costs $449.99 in the United States, more than the original’s launch price of $299.99. Both are hybrid consoles that can connect to a TV or be played on the go.New Switch 2 games such as “Donkey Kong Bananza” and “Mario Kart World” — which allows players to go exploring off-grid — are also more expensive than existing titles.”After playing it, I think it’s worth the price,” Steven Paterno, a 24-year-old aspiring filmmaker, told AFP at a Nintendo launch event in New York City.He had been waiting outside the Rockefeller Center’s Nintendo store for a month and a half, part of a group of around 20 die-hard fans desperate to be first in line.”I loved the original Switch, but I had to admit the Switch 2 really tops it,” Paterno said.- Cancelled pre-orders -Retailers in the United States, Europe and other major markets are gearing up for a rush of excited fans, with some stores opening at midnight to welcome them.”I’m very excited to pick it up at midnight,” 22-year-old graduate Angel Caceres said at the New York launch event.”I’m going to be very tired after that.”Supply pressures have forced some retailers to cancel orders, with Britain’s Game saying it is “working hard to reinstate as many affected pre-orders as possible”.Nintendo forecasts it will ship 15 million Switch 2 consoles in the current financial year, roughly equal to the original console in the same period after its release.The Switch 2 “is priced relatively high” compared with its predecessor, the company’s president Shuntaro Furukawa said at a financial results briefing in May.So it “will not be easy” to keep initial momentum going, he warned.While Nintendo is diversifying into theme parks and hit movies, around 90 percent of its revenue still comes from the Switch business, analysts say.cg-tu-kaf-mng-tgb/giv

A Japanese startup will attempt a tricky lunar touchdown on Friday with an unmanned lander named Resilience, two years after its first try which crashed onto the Moon’s surface.If successful, it will be only the third private mission to the Earth’s rocky natural satellite ever completed, and the first by a company based outside the United States.The startup, ispace, says touchdown is expected at 4:17 am Japan time on Friday (1917 GMT Thursday) with the potentially nail-biting attempt streamed on its website.Resilience is “ready to attempt a historic landing on the Moon” and “we are confident in our preparations for success”, ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada said last week.”We have leveraged the operational experience gained in Mission 1 and during this current voyage to the Moon,” he said in a statement.Only five nations have soft-landed spacecraft on the Moon — the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India and Japan.And now companies are vying to offer cheaper and more frequent space exploration opportunities than governments.Last year, the Houston-based Intuitive Machines became the first private enterprise to touch down on the Moon.Although its uncrewed craft landed at the wrong angle, it was still able to complete tests and send photos.Then in March this year, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost — launched on the same SpaceX rocket as ispace’s Resilience — aced its lunar landing attempt.Despite their rocket ride-share, Resilience took longer to reach the Moon than Blue Ghost, and ispace is now hoping for its own moment of glory, after its first mission resulted in an unsalvageable “hard landing” in 2023.Landing on the Moon is highly challenging as spacecraft must rely on precisely controlled thruster burning to slow their descent.Intuitive Machines’ second attempt at a Moon landing ended in disappointment in late March. Its spacecraft Athena, designed to touch down on a spot called the Mons Mouton plateau — closer to the lunar south pole than any previous mission — tipped over and was unable to recharge its solar-powered batteries.Meanwhile another Japanese startup, Space One, has been trying to become the country’s first private firm to put a satellite into orbit.Its latest rocket launch attempt in December blasted off but was later seen spiralling downwards in the distance as the company said the launch had to be terminated.

Shares enjoyed a healthy run Thursday after soft US economic data boosted expectations the Federal Reserve will soon cut interest rates and put the focus on key jobs figures coming at the end of the week.Investors were also keeping track of developments in Donald Trump’s trade war and signs of movement on possible talks between the US president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.Wall Street provided an uninspiring lead as a report by payroll firm ADP showed private-sector jobs rose by 37,000 last month, a sharp slowdown from April’s 60,000 and less than a third of what was forecast in a Bloomberg survey.Another survey showed activity in the services sector contracted in May for the first time since June last year.The readings stoked concerns that the world’s number one economy was stuttering, with the Fed’s closely watched “Beige Book” study noting that “economic activity has declined slightly”.It flagged household and business caution caused by slower hiring and heightened uncertainty surrounding Trump’s policies.However, the readings ramped up bets on a Fed cut, with markets pricing in two by the end of the year, with the first in September. Eyes are now on the non-farm payrolls release on Friday, which the central bank uses to help shape monetary policy.Still, there is some concern that the US president’s tariff blitz will ramp up inflation, which could put pressure on the Fed to keep borrowing costs elevated.Most of Asia rose, with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Mumbai, Bangkok and Wellington up with London, Paris and Frankfurt.Seoul rallied more than one percent on continued excitement after the election of Lee Jae-myung as South Korea’s new president. The vote ended a six-month power vacuum sparked by the impeachment of predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol for a calamitous martial law attempt.The won rose around 0.3 percent, building on a recent run-up in the currency against the dollar.Jakarta advanced as Indonesia’s government began rolling out a $1.5 billion stimulus package after Southeast Asia’s biggest economy saw its slowest growth in more than three years in the first quarter.Tokyo fell following another weak sale of long-term Japanese government bonds, which added to recent concerns about the global debt market. The soft demand also stoked speculation that the government could scale back its auctions of long-term debt in a bid to boost demand.Investors are awaiting news of talks between Trump and Xi, with the White House saying they could take place this week.But while tariffs remain a millstone around investors’ necks, IG’s chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp said traders seemed less concerned than they were after the US president’s April 2 “Liberation Day” fireworks.”With markets still rising, the overall view appears to still be that the US is no longer serious about imposing tariffs at the levels seen in April,” he wrote in a commentary.”President Trump appears fixated on a call with China’s president that might help to move the situation forward, but Beijing remains wary of committing itself to any deal.”This does leave markets open to another sudden shock, which might replicate some of the volatility seen in April. But that manic period appears to have dissuaded the administration from further major tariff announcements.”- Key figures at around 0810 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.5 percent at 37,554.49 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.1 percent at 23,906.97 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,384.10 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,807.05 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1415 from $1.1417 on WednesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3566 from $1.3548Dollar/yen: UP at 143.29 yen from 142.86 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 84.15 pence from 84.26 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $63.03 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $65.10 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 42,427.74 (close)