A SCMP headline re: the top Chinese trade....>

STOCKS: A SCMP headline re: the top Chinese trade envoy visiting the U.S to open

the way for the much-anticipated meeting between Trump & Xi, as well as touted

intervention in USD/CNY to quell the CNY's slide reversed a chunk of the early

risk off flows that were apparent in Asia-Pacific trade.

- That being said, the Nikkei 255 still trades 2.5% lower, with Apple linked

names struggling on the back of worries surrounding the tech giants outlook.

- Elsewhere, The CSI 300 moved into marginal positive territory, although the

Hang Seng continued to trade lower, last -0.2%, as the aforementioned worries

re: the tech space limited the index.

- The ASX 200 shed 1.6%, with the heavyweight energy, material and financial

sectors near the bottom of the pile.

- U.S. index futures moved higher on the aforementioned headlines, erasing their

early losses and more.