Asian shares battered by trade war fears but US signals willingness to talk

South Korea wins steel tarif exemption and Wall Street optimistic about China talks despite continued losses in Japan, Hong Kong and Australia

Fears of a full-blown trade war between the United States and China have battered Asian shares again despite signs that Washington is prepared to negotiate deals around the region.

South Korea announced on Monday that it had won an exemption from US duties on steel imports, easing some anxieties about damaging tariffs for one of Asia's biggest economies.

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