Sino-U.S. trade matters dominated the........>

STOCKS: Sino-U.S. trade matters dominated the headlines in Asia-Pac hours, with

risk sentiment in buoyed early trade on spill over from the NY session. The

aforementioned risk-on sentiment stemmed from the U.S. removing China's FX

manipulator title in the latest version of the semi-annual FX report from the

U.S. Tsy. Comments from U.S. TR Lighthizer, pointing to the phase 1 Sino-U.S.

trade deal being "about finished" re: the translation, as well as an inclusion

of commitments re: FX manipulation, per RTRS headlines, once again citing the

U.S. TR, also helped. The breakdown of Chinese trade data for the month of

December showed stronger than expected import and exports (in CNY terms),

although Sino-U.S. trade fell 10.7% Y/Y in 2019.

- However, the edge came off the move. Chinese/Hong Kong Shares stalled, with

profit taking potentially creeping in as the Hang Seng failed to hold above

29,000, while U.S. index futures moved into negative territory as S&P 500 &

NASDAQ 100 futures edged away from fresh all time highs.

- Nikkei 225 +0.5%, Hang Seng -0.2%, CSI 300 -0.1%, ASX 200 +0.7%.

- S&P 500 futures -5, DJIA futures -1, NASDAQ 100 futures -5.