(Nov 6): Stocks in Asia looked set for a muted start Wednesday after a gauge of the American services sector showed signs of improvement, offsetting conflicting news flow on the U.S.-China trade discussions. The dollar climbed and Treasuries declined.

Futures in Japan and Hong Kong signaled a flat start, while Australian contracts rose modestly. Treasury yields climbed to the highest since mid-September. News that U.S. service industries expanded more than forecast in October triggered a brief equity rally, but pushed market pricing for another rate cut from the Federal Reserve further out. The S&P 500 Index closed marginally lower.