Asian shares up as US, China trade negotiators talk

SHANGHAI/NEW YORK: Asian shares rose on Friday as investors focused on talks between U.S. and Chinese trade officials and solid corporate earnings rather than the looming release of data expected to show the worst U.S. unemployment rate in more than 70 years. Having opened higher following gains on Wall Street overnight, Asian markets had a further boost late in the morning on Chinese state media reports that U.S. and Chinese trade representatives had held a phone call and pledged to cooperate on carrying out the countries' Phase 1 trade deal. The news lifted U.S. stock futures,...