Sydney — Asian share markets crept cautiously higher on Monday as investors awaited developments on proposed China-US trade talks and the Chinese yuan rallied away from dangerous lows.MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.4%, while Shanghai blue chips firmed 0.2%. Moves were modest with Japan’s Nikkei off 0.3 percent in thin trade, while e-mini futures for the S&P 500 edged up 0.05%. The yuan reached its highest in a week at 6.8512 to the dollar as Beijing acted to prevent a test of the psychologically important 7.0000 level.Investors were also encouraged by news China and the US will hold lower-level trade talks in August, offering hope that they might resolve an escalating tariff war.Reports suggested the talks in Washington would take place on August 21 and 22, just before $16bn in new US tariffs on Chinese goods take effect.The US trade representative’s office said on Friday it doubled the length of tariff hearings on the next $200bn worth of Chines...
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