Asian Stocks Mixed As The Mood Remains Cautious Amid Lack Of Fresh Data

(RTTNews) - Asian stocks are turning in a mixed performance on Monday with trading volumes still remaining mostly thin as the market enters the final phase of the year. The mood is cautious amid a lack of fresh economic and corporate news.

After Christmas and Boxing Day holidays last week, the markets will remain shut on Thursday for New Year, and some of the markets will have shortened session on Wednesday.

Mining and energy stocks were among the gainers, while shares from financials and healthcare sectors remained somewhat subdued.

Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 slipped 16.30 points or 0.19% ato 8,746.40. The broader All Ordinaries index slid 18.10 points or 0.2% to 9,050.90.

Mining stocks moved higher, while shares from healthcare and banking sectors remained subdued.

Santos, Sigma Healthcare, Goodman Group, SGH, News Corp., Northern Star Resources, Newmont Corporation, QBE Insurance, Westpac Banking Corporation and Brambles were down 0.3 to 1%.

Meanwhile, James Hardie Industries, CSL, Alcoa Corporation, Capstone Copper, Evolution Mining, Xero, South32, Block, BHP Group, AEA Group and ANZ Group posted sharp to moderate gains.

The Japanese market traded weak this morning. At the end of the morning session, the Nikkei 225 index was down 200.22 points or 0.39% at 50,550.17.

Trend Micro, Sumitomo Dainippon, DIC Corp., DeNA, Otsuka Holdings, Advantest Corp., Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Daikin Industries lost 2 to 3.1%.

Panasonic, Toppan Printing, Shiseido, Chugai Pharmaceuticals, Japan Tobacco, Canon and IHI Corp were among the other notable losers.

Among the gainers, Itochu Corp. climbed nearly 4.5%. Fujikura, Sumitomo Metal Mining, Mitsubishi Materials, DOWA Holdings, Toto, Mitsui Chemcials, Mitsui Mining and Hino Motors gained 2 to 3.4%.

The Chinese market's Shanghai Composite Index was up 15.13 points or 0.37% at 3,978.81 a few minutes before the end of the morning session.

China Construcion Bank, PetroChina, Foxconn Industrial Internet, CNOOC Limited, China Shenhua Energy, China Petroleum & Chemicals, Cambricon Technologies, Hygon Information Technology and Luxshare Precision Industry gained 1 to 5%.

China Telecom, Shengyi Technology, Advanced Micro-Fabrication and EVE Energy shares drifted lower.

South Korea's KOSPI moved up 65.05 points or 1.58% to 4,194.73. Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 92.44 points or 0.36% to 25,912.82.

Markets in Malaysia and New Zealand showed weakness, while the market in Singapore eded up a bit, and shares in the Indonesian market moved moderately higher.