In Asian Equity Markets shares in mainland China saw strong gains by the morning session’s end following the positive developments. The Shanghai composite jumped 3.32 percent. Over in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index rose 0.24 percent as shares of China Construction Bank gained around 1 percent. Hong Kong-listed shares of Chinese network equipment firm ZTE jumped more than 6.4 percent, after leaping 13.9 percent earlier, according to Reuters. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.52 percent and the Topix rose 0.68 percent in afternoon trade.

In Currency Markets the risk-sensitive Australian dollar rose and the yen sagged in early Asian trade on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he will delay increasing tariffs on Chinese goods on March 1, citing “substantial progress” in trade talks. The Australian dollar gained 0.4 percent to $0.7157 , reacting to Trump’s latest posts on Twitter. The Japanese yen eased 0.1 percent to 110.75 yen to the dollar, while the euro gained 0.1 percent to $1.1346. Elsewhere, the New Zealand dollar rose 0.5 percent to $0.6875, also helped by local retail sales.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose on Monday as Washington and China appeared to edge closer to a trade deal, dampening fears over the outlook for global economic growth. International Brent crude oil futures were at $67.26 a barrel, up 14 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last close. They ended Friday little changed after touching their highest since Nov. 16 at $67.73 a barrel. U.S. WTI crude futures were at $57.38 per barrel, up 11 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last settlement. WTI futures climbed 0.5 percent on Friday, having marked their highest since Nov. 16 at $57.81 a barrel.

In US Equity Markets the S&P 500 posted its highest closing level since Nov. 8 on Friday as investors clung to signs of progress in the ongoing trade talks between the United States and China. The S&P 500 technology index was up 1.3 percent, leading gains among the 11 major S&P sectors, while the trade-exposed industrials index climbed 0.6 percent. The S&P 500 gained 0.64 percent, to 2,792.67 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.91 percent, to 7,527.55. All three indexes registered gains for the week, with both the Dow and Nasdaq posting a ninth week of increases.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields drifted lower on Friday afternoon as U.S. and Chinese trade negotiations came to a close for the week and members of the Federal Reserve commented about the bank’s review of its monetary policy framework. The yield on the 10-year note was 3.8 basis points lower, last at 2.650 percent. The two-year note was down 4 basis points at 2.489 percent and the 30-year bond yield was down 3.1 basis points at 3.015 percent.