In Asian Equity Markets Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged up by 0.25 percent, led by the transport equipment and automobile sectors, with Suzuki Motor up 8.21 percent after reporting strong earnings. Overall gains were capped by declines seen in utilities and financials. In South Korea, the Kospi added 0.47 percent as the manufacturing sector notched gains, with cosmetics also climbing. Index heavyweight Samsung Electronics traded flat. Australian stocks also tracked slightly higher, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 0.1 percent amid broad-based gains.

In Currency Markets the US dollar stayed firm against the yuan and a basket of currencies on Friday, with markets gripped by worries over escalating trade tensions between the United States and China. The euro traded at $1.1583, its weakest since July 19. The Australian dollar, seen as a proxy for Chinese growth because of Australia’s export-reliant economy, traded at $0.73595, close to a two-week low of $0.7355 touched the previous day. Sterling also  edged down on Friday to a fresh two-week low of $1.3012.

In Commodities Markets oil prices edged lower on Friday after strong gains the previous day, easing on persistent supply concerns as Russia increased production in July and Saudi Arabia cut the price of crude for its Asian customers. Brent crude futures were down 17 cents, or 0.2 percent at $73.28 a barrel, after rising 1.5 percent on Thursday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was off by 2 cents at $68.94, after gaining nearly 2 percent in the previous session. WTI is heading for a roughly flat week.

In US Equity Markets technology stocks pushed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq higher on Thursday, driven by Apple shares as the iPhone maker became the first publicly traded U.S. company worth a trillion dollars. Apple Inc extended its post-earnings rally, advancing 3.2 percent and crossing the trillion-dollar market value threshold. The S&P 500 gained 0.46 percent, to 2,826.25 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.14 percent, to 7,794.93. Of the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, six were in positive territory.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields eased on Thursday, a day after 10-year notes hit a 10-week high, as investors sought the safety of government debt with trade tensions between the United States and China escalating once again. U.S. 10-year yields fell to 2.985 percent, from 3.003 percent late on Wednesday. U.S. 30-year yields were also down at 3.12 percent , from 3.127 percent the previous session. On the front end of the curve, U.S. 2-year yields slipped to 2.665 percent, from Wednesday’s 2.682 percent.