AFP, Hong Kong :
Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday but investors remained on edge after the latest tit-for-tat tariffs in the China-US trade row, while they are now looking ahead to the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting.
While the levies had been widely expected, there are concerns about how long the dispute will last after China cancelled planned talks and said negotiations “cannot be carried out under the threat of tariffs”.
Vice commerce minister Wang Shouwen said Tuesday it was impossible to hold negotiations while Washington is imposing tariffs that are like “holding a knife to someone’s throat”. He accused the US of abandoning a consensusstruck in May.
Fresh political uncertainty in Washington is also drawing attention, helping to drag on Wall Street, with speculation Donald Trump could fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein over reports he suggested removing the president from office.
The developments are being closely followed because Rosenstein plays a key role in overseeing the Russia probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, which Trump has labelled a politically motivated “witch hunt”.
His removal could deal a major blow to the investigation and possibly a constitutional crisis in Washington, leading to further political instability.
Tokyo, back after a public holiday, ended 0.3 percent higher, Singapore added 0.7 percent and Taipei gained 0.1 percent. There were also gains in Mumbai, Bangkok and Wellington.
