Asian Markets Show Mixed Reactions to Economic Reports

Investors in the Asia-Pacific region faced a mixed bag of reactions in the stock markets on Monday afternoon, as they digested the latest economic data. Japan reported a trade deficit on the balance of payments (BOP) basis, while China's annual inflation saw a 0.7% decline over the weekend.

Market Movements Across Asia

Japan's Nikkei 225 showed resilience, gaining 0.40% by 7:13 am CET. However, not all markets followed suit; Hong Kong's Hang Seng decreased by 1.74%, while South Korea's Kospi managed a slight climb of 0.26%. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite and Shenzhen Composite both experienced declines, losing 0.42% and 0.26% respectively by 7:14 am CET. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 ended the day on a positive note, improving by 0.18% at the closing bell.

Currency Movements

The dollar also saw a slight decrease, trading 0.20% lower against the yen at 7:15 am CET, with a selling rate of 147.65200.