Asia-Pacific markets were mixed ahead of key inflation reports this week, including Wednesday’s U.S. consumer price index report and Thursday’s producer price index.
In the region, China’s consumer price index remained flat on an annual basis in June, hitting its lowest level since February 2021. Meanwhile, producer prices fell 5.4 percent year-on-year, the fastest rate of decline since December 2015.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ended her Beijing visit and said the talks were “direct” and “productive” and put bilateral relations on a “solid foundation”.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 extended its losses, falling 0.87 percent after falling more than 1 percent on Friday, and Topix slumped 0.61 percent.
South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.26%, while the Kosdaq lost 0.33%. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.15 percent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rebounded and rose 1.57 percent, while mainland Chinese markets also advanced. On Monday, the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.38 percent and the Shenzhen Component Index rose 0.56 percent.
U.S. markets closed lower on Friday amid fears the Fed will raise interest rates this month, and all three major indices fell.
The Labor Department’s June jobs report showed payrolls increased less than expected. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 209,000, while the unemployment rate was 3.6 percent.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw the biggest loss at 0.55 percent, while the S&P 500 fell 0.29 percent and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.13 percent.