Shares firmer on investor hopes for Ukraine talks, not war – Reuters

Shares firmer on investor hopes for Ukraine talks, not war – Reuters

SINGAPORE, Feb 18 (Reuters) - U.S. and European stock futures bounced back on Friday and selling pressure on Asian shares eased after the U.S. Secretary of State agreed to a meeting with Russia's foreign minister, raising hopes of a solution to the standoff over Ukraine.

S&P 500 futures jumped 0.7% and Nasdaq futures gained 0.8% following the news, while, in early trading, pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures were up 0.45%, and FTSE futures were 0.4% higher.

The positive sentiment ranged across asset classes. Safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese yen and Swiss franc retreated a little in Asia trade having climbed to two-week highs on the dollar overnight, and gold lost 0.4%.