What's Next for U.S.-China, Fed Minutes Reveal Caution: Eco Day

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Welcome to Thursday, Asia. Here’s the latest news and analysis from Bloomberg Economics to help get your day started:

• China and the U.S. are separately struggling to come in for unparalleled, simultaneous soft landings, an effort complicated by the trade war they’re waging at the same time
• What now? With trade talks over, the Trump administration is pushing for a way to make sure China delivers on its commitments in any deal the two nations reach to end a war that’s roiled financial markets and dimmed the outlook for global growth
• Early signals from the negotiations appear promising, says Tom Orlik. While much uncertainty remains, a positive market reaction shows investors dialing down estimates of trade-war escalation
• Minutes of the Federal Reserve’s December meeting revealed policy makers took a more cautious approach to further rate increases than their statement indicated; the effects of the central bank’s balance-sheet runoff are also beginning to weigh heavily on their minds
• Chinese policy makers are continuing their piecemeal approach to arresting the slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy, as further details emerged of measures to ensure credit to small businesses and ease their tax burden
• The Bank of Canada indicated less urgency in its push toward higher interest rates as the economy grapples with slumping oil prices

To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Bourke in Sydney at cbourke4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nasreen Seria at nseria@bloomberg.net, Tracy Withers

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