Investors still await clarity on the.........>

STOCKS: Investors still await clarity on the Sino-U.S. trade front, even though

another "constructive" phone call took place between top level negotiators from

both sides over the weekend.

- Elsewhere, the elevation in tensions in Hong Kong dented U.S. equity index

futures early on, but had less impact on the major Asia-Pac equity benchmarks

(where the Hang Seng outperformed).

- Elsewhere, the PBoC decided to cut the rate applied to its 7-Day reverse repo

facility by 5bp, which boosted risk appetite, facilitating a recovery in Chinese

mainland markets and U.S. equity index futures.

- Australia's ASX 200 was the underperformer, with the utilities and

communications sectors finding themselves at the bottom of the pile, although

consumer & IT names provided some counterweight.

- Nikkei 225 +0.4%, Hang Seng +1.2%, CSI 300 +0.8%, ASX 200 -0.5%.

- S&P 500 futures unch., NASDAQ 100 futures unch., DJIA futures +3.