Asian Shares Rise Modestly as Traders Await Warsh's Jackson Hole Speech

Asian shares posted modest gains on Friday as investors waited for US Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh's speech at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The MSCI Asia Pacific equities gauge added 0.3%, with winners and losers almost evenly split. However, the Kospi Index, a barometer for artificial intelligence investments, fell 1.3%.

Futures for Wall Street gauges edged lower as initial enthusiasm over the AI trade following Nvidia's bullish outlook waned. Nasdaq 100 contracts slipped 0.2%, with Marvell Technology weighing on sentiment after falling more than 7% in extended trading following its earnings report.

US Treasuries held Thursday's losses, when yields rose two to three basis points across the curve amid concerns about US inflation and the US fiscal outlook. Warsh is due to speak at Jackson Hole, with some investors expecting a hawkish tone.