Asian stock markets traded mixed in early trade on Monday, with several major indexes witnessing declines amid cautious investor sentiment. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1.25% to 25,637.05, while Taiwan’s weighted index declined 1.38% to 40,604.35. Japan’s Nikkei index also slipped 0.85% to 60,886.92 during the session.
Australia’s ASX 200 dropped 1.28% to 8,520.4, and New Zealand’s NZX 50 declined 1.23% to 12,805.15. Singapore’s Straits Times Index edged lower by 0.35% to 4,971.77, while Malaysia’s benchmark index slipped 0.36% to 1,733.9.
In contrast, mainland Chinese markets traded in positive territory. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.07% to 4,138.107, while the Shenzhen Component Index rose 0.49% to 15,637.836. South Korea’s Kospi emerged as one of the top gainers in the region, advancing 1.27% to 7,588.
The SGX-CNBC China Growth Index also traded lower, falling 0.99% to 1,706.511.
Investors across the region remained focused on global economic cues, market volatility, and expectations around monetary policy trends, leading to cautious trading activity during the early Asian session.