Markets mixed as US and China talk up progress in trade negotiation

Markets were mixed on Friday.

The S&P 500 rose 1.1 percent and the STOXX Europe 600 jumped 1.4 percent but the Nikkei 225 fell 1.1 percent.

Investor sentiment was kept up by talk of progress in the trade negotiation between the US and China.

“Trade has been the biggest weight on markets of late, and so it’s good to see both sides talking up progress,” said Chris Gaffney, president of world markets at TIAA Bank.

Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Independent Advisor Alliance, said that “trade talks with China will continue to dominate the narrative and markets will move higher on increased optimism for an ultimate deal”.