il prices were largely steady in Asian trade on Friday but were set for a weekly decline after tumbling nearly 3% in the previous session, as forecasts of a sizeable supply surplus and rising inventories weighed on sentiment.
Trump administration officials signed a final reciprocal trade agreement that confirmed a 15% U.S. tariff rate for imports from Taiwan, while committing Taiwan to a schedule for eliminating or lowering tariffs on nearly all U.S. goods.
Asian shares retreated from record highs on Friday as worries about shrinking margins in the tech sector hit the likes of Apple, driving investors into safe-haven bonds ahead of key U.S. inflation data.
China's car sales in January fell at the fastest pace in nearly two years as competition steepens in the cutthroat market where automakers are grappling with fading government subsidies, softening demand and tighter regulations.
U.S. job growth likely picked up in January, supported by fewer layoffs in some seasonal industries, but the labor market remained sluggish as lingering uncertainty over import tariffs tempered hiring and tighter immigration enforcement constrained the supply of workers.
Malaysia's economy likely expanded at its fastest pace in more than a year in the final quarter of 2025, supported by strong domestic demand and investment as well as steady export growth, a Reuters poll of economists showed.