Bangkok — Asian stocks started the week mixed, with the Tokyo index falling nearly 2% on Monday after data showing weak factory activity, while US futures fell.
Oil prices rose more than $1 per barrel.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 1.9% to 49,285.66 after the government reported weaker-than-expected corporate investment data.
Regional reports on manufacturing activity are being closely watched for signs of how higher tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump will impact Asian economies.
A survey of Japanese factory managers showed activity slowed in November. S&Japan’s global manufacturing purchasing managers’ index, or PMI, was 48.7 last month, a slight improvement from 48.2 in October but still in contractionary territory on a scale of zero to 100 where 50 represents the maximum expansion. This was the fifth straight month of contraction.
“The latest PMI data showed that Japan’s manufacturing sector continued to struggle with weak demand conditions in November, as companies pointed to another strong decline in total new business,” said Annabelle Vides, associate director of economics at S.&P Global Market Intelligence said in a report.
China Factory activity It contracted for the eighth straight month in November, according to an official survey released on Sunday, highlighting the challenges facing the country’s economy despite the extension of the trade truce between the United States and China.
But the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong rose 0.8% to 26,068.05 points.
Shares of online food delivery major Meituan fell 1.5% after the company announced it posted a net loss in the latest quarter as intense competition in the delivery industry drove down prices, even as the company’s revenue rose.
The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.4% to 3,904.90 points.
In Seoul, the KOSPI remained almost unchanged at 3,926.20. Australia S&The P/ASX 200 index fell 0.3% to 8,583.30.
Taiwan’s TAEX lost 0.5%, and India’s Sensex rose 0.3%.
Across Asia, PMI readings reflected weak factory activity for November, despite a rebound in exports from the region in recent months, Shivan Tandon, Asia economist at Capital Economics, said in a commentary.
Black Friday consumer spending Cyber Monday Despite this, the retail boom was expected to exceed expectations Uncertainty about expectations for the American economy.
Early Monday, the future of S&The P 500 fell nearly 0.7% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.4%.
Trading in the Dow Jones Industrial Average S has been halted&P 500 and Nasdaq closed for hours on Friday due to a technical issue at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. CME said the issue was linked to a power outage at the CyrusOne data centre.
During Friday’s abbreviated post-Thanksgiving session, S&The P 500 rose 0.5%, while the Dow Jones rose 0.6%. The Nasdaq rose 0.7%.
Stocks rose last week on hopes of another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve after a mid-November swoon as investors worry about the continuation of the mania around artificial intelligence.
Nvidia lost 1.8% on Friday, ending the month with a double-digit loss. Oracle fell 23% in November while Palantir Technologies fell 16%.
Some technology company stocks achieved monthly gains, most notably Alphabet, whose stock rose about 14%, due to excitement over its recent issuance. Gemini model of artificial intelligence.
The central bank that It has already cut interest rates twice this year Hoping to support a slowing labor market, the government faces an increasingly difficult decision on interest rates as inflation rises and the labor market slows. Lowering interest rates further could help support an economy with weak employment, but could also lead to higher inflation.
The minutes of the last Fed meeting in October indicated this Splits are likely to be strong among policymakers about the Fed’s next move.
Investors were also keeping an eye on retail stocks as they waited to see if shoppers were quick to cash in Annual Black Friday sales event. The Messi index fell by 0.3% while the Cole index rose by 1.4%. Dick’s Sporting Goods fell 0.5%. Specialty retailers include Abercrombie & Fitch shares rose 2.9% and American Eagle Outfitters rose 0.7%.
In other trading early Monday, the price of US crude oil rose $1.05 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, also added $1.05 per barrel.
The US dollar fell to 155.57 Japanese yen from 156.14 yen. The euro rose to $1.1602 from $1.1596.
Bitcoin fell 5.3% to $86,225.