Asian shares post modest gains before US payrolls

Asian shares inched higher in the leadup to US jobs data, after US stocks hit another record following Donald Trump’s announcement of a trade deal with Vietnam.A regional equity gauge opened up 0.2% after the S&P 500 closed at another record high Wednesday. News of a trade deal supported apparel stocks including Nike Inc. amid hopes the latest accord will avert a potential supply-chain catastrophe. The dollar held its losses, hovering around three-year lows.

Treasuries edged up modestly in early Asian trading on Thursday after yields rose in the prior session following heavy selling in the UK, where concerns about Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ future reignited questions over the nation’s fiscal position. In Japan, 10-year bonds declined ahead of a closely watched auction of 30-year sovereign notes at 12:35 p.m. in Tokyo.

The cross-asset moves underscored cautious optimism as traders contend with pockets of uncertainty ahead of jobs data that will help identify the path ahead for interest rates. Like in the UK, investors have raised concerns in the US, where Trump’s signature economic legislation stalled in the House Wednesday afternoon as Republican fiscal conservatives delayed a key procedural vote.
On the Vietnam trade deal, Trump said he reached a deal with the country after weeks of negotiations. A 20% tariff will be placed on Vietnamese exports to the US, with a 40% levy on any goods deemed to be transshipped through the country. Trump said that Vietnam had agreed to drop all levies on US imports.Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Rachel Reeves will stay on as Chancellor of the Exchequer, as he sought to draw a line under speculation about her future that sparked the bond selloff.

Back in the US, monthly nonfarm payroll data due later Thursday — a day earlier than usual due to a holiday — will show slower hiring and the highest unemployment rate since 2021 as the Trump administration’s trade and immigration policy shifts start to leave an imprint.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Rachel Reeves will stay on as Chancellor of the Exchequer, as he sought to draw a line under speculation about her future that sparked the bond selloff.

Back in the US, monthly nonfarm payroll data due later Thursday — a day earlier than usual due to a holiday — will show slower hiring and the highest unemployment rate since 2021 as the Trump administration’s trade and immigration policy shifts start to leave an imprint.

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