In This Article:
* Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* Most Asian stock markets ease, along with S&P futures
* Brent licks wounds after suffering sharpest drop in 7 wks
* U.S. Treasury yields fall further, flatten curve
* Next major event is minutes of Fed's last meeting
By Wayne Cole
SYDNEY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Asian shares lost out to safe-harbour bonds on Wednesday as Sino-U.S. trade talks produced nothing but white noise, while concerns about a supply glut left oil prices nursing their biggest one-day loss in seven weeks.
Figures from the American Petroleum Institute out late Tuesday showed a far larger rise in crude stocks than expected. That followed reports Russia was unlikely to deepen its cuts to crude output.
Brent crude futures eased another 10 cents to $60.81 a barrel, after sliding 2.6% overnight, while U.S. crude dipped 2 cents to $55.19.
The mood in share markets was sombre with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan off 0.7%. Japan's Nikkei fell 0.8% and Shanghai blue chips 0.5%.
Australia's main index sank 1.3% led by the banks after the country's financial crime regulator alleged Westpac had breached laws on over 23 million instances and applied for civil penalties against the lender.
E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 shed 0.2% and EUROSTOXX 50 futures 0.2%.
The prospects for progress on trade dimmed when China condemned a U.S. Senate measure on Hong Kong, vowing to take the steps necessary to safeguard its sovereignty and security.
The Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at protecting human rights in Hong Kong.
Late Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to raise tariffs further if China would not agree to a deal that he liked.
The aggressive tone unsettled Wall Street and the Dow ended down 0.36%, while the S&P 500 lost 0.06% and the Nasdaq added 0.24%.
Dour forecasts from retailers Home Depot and Kohl's fuelled worries about consumer spending, while the energy sector was the S&P's biggest loser as oil slid.
COUNTING DOWN TO FED MINUTES "The immediate focus remains on the U.S.-China trade talks, and markets seem reluctant to move much in either direction until they are resolved," wrote analysts at ANZ in a note.
"It was noticeable that fixed income markets rallied despite equity markets being stable, suggestive of a market that remains cautious about the growth outlook."
Yields on U.S. 10-year Treasuries dropped further to a two-week trough of 1.75%, with a marked flattening of the curve hinting at a possible return of recession fears.