Asia-Pacific Markets Mostly Lower

On Monday, major stock indices across the Asia-Pacific region experienced mostly downward trends. The South Korean Kospi index dropped significantly by 2.62%, largely influenced by the escalating political tensions in the country.

A motion to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol over his imposition of martial law was dismissed on Saturday due to insufficient votes. Meanwhile, his defense minister has been named a suspect in an insurrection case, and authorities are reportedly considering a travel ban on Yoon.

China's Inflation Slows

Elsewhere in the region, China's inflation rate slowed from 0.3% to 0.2%. At 7:06 am CET, Japan's Nikkei 225 traded 0.08% higher, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 0.63%. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite decreased by 0.30%, and the Shenzhen Composite went down by 0.28%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 closed flat.

The dollar traded flat against the yen at 7:06 am CET, selling for 149.9710.