Major Asian stock indexes were mostly higher on Thursday after President Joe Biden held his first conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping since taking office.
Many markets in Asia were closed for the Lunar New Year and other holidays. Benchmarks in Hong Kong, India and Sydney advanced while Singapore and Thailand declined.
With much of Asia celebrating the traditional start of the Year of the Ox, there is little in the way of fresh market driving news likely for the rest of the week in Asia.
In their phone conversation, Biden and Xi appeared to have struck a conciliatory tone, Jeffrey Halley of Oanda said in a commentary.
U.S. officials have signaled Washington will keep in place export restrictions on technology and tariffs imposed by the previous administration of President Donald Trump.
But investors and businesses in the region are hoping a more even-keeled approach to relations…
