* Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* Nikkei idles near 13-mth high, most markets flat
* Reuters reports phase 1 trade deal delayed to Dec
* Bonds bounce, dollar cedes some gains to yen
By Wayne Cole
SYDNEY, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Asian shares managed to cling near
multi-month peaks on Thursday while bonds eked out a bounce as
reports of delays in sealing a preliminary Sino-U.S. trade deal
left investors frustrated at the lack of concrete progress.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS eased a slight 0.1%, just off a six-month high
hit earlier in the week.
Japan's Nikkei .N225 dithered either side of flat in quiet
trade, having touched a 13-month top on Wednesday. South Korean
stocks .KS11 were up 0.1% after hitting their highest since
Shanghai blue chips .CSI300 added 0.3%, while E-Mini
futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 were down a touch.
Reuters reported on Wednesday a meeting between U.S.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to sign
an interim trade deal could be delayed until December as
discussions continue over terms and venue. Among various suggestions was to sign a deal after a
scheduled NATO meeting in early December. "One could take the view that by not committing to meet the
original deadline it gives more time for a somewhat more
comprehensive agreement to be thrashed out," said Ray Attrill,
head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank.
"But markets have understandably jumped the other way,
exhibiting a slight loss of confidence that anything more
substantial than an agreement not to further lift tariffs, in
return for some increase in US agricultural purchases, can be
agreed by way of an initial deal."
Wall Street was underwhelmed by the news and the Dow .DJI
ended Wednesday all but flat, while the S&P 500 .SPX gained
0.07% and the Nasdaq .IXIC dropped 0.29%.
HP Inc HPQ.N rose over 6% after Reuters reported U.S.
printer maker Xerox Holdings Corp XRX.N has made a roughly $33
billion cash-and-stock offer for the computer group. The pause in the risk rally helped bonds recoup a little of
their recent losses. Yields on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes
US10YT=RR fell back to 1.81% from a two-month top of 1.87%.
That in turn restrained the dollar, which eased to 108.77
yen JPY= from a weekly high of 109.24. The dollar was steady
on a basket of currencies at 97.965 .DXY .
The euro was struggling to sustain any bounce at $1.1064
EUR= , perilously close to chart support at $1.1060.
Spot gold was little changed at $1,490.64 per ounce XAU=
and well within recent tight trading ranges.
Oil prices nursed losses after taking a hit from a
surprisingly large build in U.S. crude inventories. O/R
U.S. crude CLc1 was 2 cents lower at $56.33 a barrel,
while Brent crude LCOc1 was unchanged at $61.74.
Asia stock markets https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
Asia-Pacific valuations https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA
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(Editing by Shri Navaratnam)