Asian markets trade lower as trade optimism slides
Equity tips:- Australian stocks were down 0.1% percent, South Korea's KOSPI and Japan's Nikkei lost 0.5% each, Jakarta Composite slipped 0.68%, while Shanghai Composite is marginally up. Asian stock markets were trading lower on Thursday after US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer dented some of the recent optimism towards Sino-US trade relations, while the dollar held gains, supported by higher bond yields. Also, China PMI index fell to 49.2 in February, data showed on Thursday, the weakest level since February 2016. The 50-point index mark separates expansion from contraction on a monthly basis. Australian stocks were down 0.1%, South Korea's KOSPI and Japan's Nikkei lost 0.5% each, Jakarta Composite slipped 0.68%, while Shanghai Composite is marginally up. The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies stood little changed at 96....