Market News

    Asian stocks shaky before Powell's speech as growth woes weigh

    TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares struggled to make any headway on Friday as weak U.S. manufacturing activity and uncertainty over how much further the Federal Reserve would cut rates added to the general air of caution in markets buffeted by global growth fears.

    With political tumult in Hong Kong, Italy and Britain adding to the tense backdrop, investors were keenly waiting on a speech by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell later in the day at a gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole.