By Rocky Swift

TOKYO (Reuters) – Shares jumped and the dollar pared recent gains on Monday as Asian markets reacted to better-than-expected U.S. jobs data ahead of talks in London aimed at mending a trade rift between the United States and China.

Wall Street stocks had closed sharply higher on Friday after the jobs data eased concerns about damage to the world’s biggest economy from President Donald Trump’s unpredictable tariff regime. Safe-haven assets such as gold remained lower after steep selloffs.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.5% in early trade on Monday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index surged 1.3%, touching the 24,000-point level for the first time since March 21. Japan’s Nikkei stock index rose 0.9%.

At the same time, a standoff in Los Angeles t

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