TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Friday, hitting three-month highs after data showed record online spending by U.S. consumers, stoking faith in the world’s no. 1 economy even before the hoped-for end to the trade war between Washington and Beijing.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The dollar hovered near a six-month high versus the Japanese yen while the Australian dollar climbed to its strongest since July on Friday, buoyed by easing Sino-U.S. trade tensions.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares jumped to an 18-month high on Friday while gold and oil prices stayed buoyant in a holiday-shortened week, as investor optimism was boosted by hopes a U.S.-China trade deal would soon be signed.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Profits at China’s industrial firms in November grew at the fastest pace in eight months, breaking a three-month declining streak, as production and sales quickened, but broad weakness in domestic demand remains a risk for earnings next year.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Profits at China’s industrial firms in November grew 5.4% from a year earlier to 593.9 billion yuan ($84.93 billion), the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.