The Japan Times - Stocks gain on US jobs data, tariff talks hopes

Data showed that US hiring slowed much less than expected last month, with the world's largest economy adding 177,000 jobs.

European equities and US stock futures both jumped following the release of the data. Wall Street's main indices gained around one percent at the opening bell.

"The April jobs report may reassure investors that the labor market is holding up, giving them more confidence that the economy can hold up too," said Bret Kenwell, analyst at eToro trading platform.

Data released Thursday showed the US economy unexpectedly contracted in the first three months of the year on an import surge triggered by US Donald Trump's tariff plans.

Falling US consumer confidence and rising jobless numbers have also caused angst among investors.

The monthly US jobs data is also important for investors looking for indications of the US central bank's path for interest rates, and a smaller-than-expected monthly increases in wages should reassure the Federal Reserve on inflationary pressures in the labour market.

Meanwhile, China's commerce ministry on Friday said it was evaluating a US offer for negotiations on tariffs, but insisted Washington must be ready to scrap levies that have roiled global markets and supply chains.

Trump's levies reached 145 percent on many Chinese products in April, while Beijing has responded with fresh 125 percent duties on imports from the United States.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that China has reached out for talks on the tariffs, and this week said he believed there was a "very good chance we're going to make a deal".

The US president has also imposed 10 percent tariffs on imports from around the world. Dozens of countries face a 90-day deadline expiring in July to strike an agreement with Washington and avoid higher, country-specific rates.

Deutsche Bank managing director Jim Reid said the Chinese statement "is outweighing concerns about the effect of tariffs, which were initially triggered by disappointing earnings from Apple and Amazon".

US tech giants Apple and Amazon both reported disappointing outlooks, as tariffs knock business confidence, after markets closed on Thursday.

Shares in Apple slumped around five percent and Amazon around one percent as trading got underway in New York on Friday.

In Europe, Paris and Frankfurt rose over two percent as markets brushed off official data showing eurozone inflation remained unchanged at slightly above the European Central Bank's two-percent target.

London also gained, with mining and commodity stocks -- sensitive to Chinese demand -- performing particularly well amid optimism for potential China-US talks, according to analysts.

In Asia on Friday, Hong Kong was up more than 1.7 percent at the close, while Tokyo rose one percent.

Mainland Chinese markets were closed for a holiday.

Japan's envoy for US tariff talks said in Washington on Thursday that a second round of negotiations between the two countries had been "frank and constructive".

The Bank of Japan warned earlier that tariffs were fuelling global economic uncertainty and revised down its growth forecasts while keeping its key interest rate steady.

In company news, oil majors ExxonMobil and Shell reported lower profit on weaker crude prices.

But Shell managed to be one of the biggest risers in London on Friday as it pushed ahead with shareholder returns.

- Key figures at around 1330 GMT -

New York - Dow: UP 1.0 percent at 41,177.76 points

New York - S&P 500: UP 1.0 percent at 5,658.07

New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.9 percent at 17,870.34

London - FTSE 100: UP 1.3 percent at 8,603.07

Paris - CAC 40: UP 2.1 percent at 7,751.40

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 2.4 percent at 23.026.35

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.0 percent at 36,830.69 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.7 percent at 22,504.68 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: closed for holiday

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1348 from $1.1289 on Thursday

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3315 from $1.3277

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 144.14 yen from 145.44 yen

Euro/pound: UP at 85.28 pence from 85.02 pence

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.6 percent at $58.86 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.6 percent at $61.78 per barrel

burs-rl/lth

M.Yamazaki--JT