Asia-Pacific markets mixed
1 min read
Asia-Pacific stocks
Shares in Asia-Pacific were mixed on Monday morning as the first trading day of 2021 kicked off.
Mainland Chinese stocks were mixed. The Shanghai composite dipped fractionally while the Shenzhen component rose 0.969%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained 0.44%.
China’s official manufacturing PMI released Thursday showed the country’s factory activity expanding in December, albeit at a slower pace compared to November’s reading.
In South Korea, the Kospi gained 1.22% as it led among the region’s major markets. South Korea’s markets started trading an hour later than usual on Monday.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dipped 0.64% while the Topix index shed 0.85%.
Stocks in Australia rose, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 1.05%.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan traded 0.54% higher.
A private survey released Monday showed Chinese manufacturing activity expanding in December, with the Caixin/Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the month coming in at 53.0. That compared against November’s reading of 54.9. The 50-level in PMI readings separates expansion from contraction.
