SINGAPORE – Asia-Pacific stocks were mixed in trading on Monday as investors continue to monitor the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
South Korean Kospi led profits in the region’s key markets, up 1.27%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.4%, while the Topix index rose 0.15%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained about 1%. Stocks in mainland China, on the other hand, declined: the Shanghai composite was marginally lower, while the Shenzhen component fell 0.293%.
In the midst of the pandemic, China surpassed the US as the world’s largest recipient of foreign direct investment, according to a report released Sunday from the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
According to the report, China brought in $ 163 billion in inflows last year, compared to $ 134 billion raised by the US.
Shares in Australia were up slightly, with the S & P / ASX 200 up 0.4%.
MSCI’s widest index of Asia-Pacific stocks excluding Japan was up 0.38%.
Developments around Covid-19 are likely to be followed by investors as the world rushes to adjust against the mutating coronavirus that has spawned some potentially more contagious variants.
According to Reuters, the Hong Kong government lifted a lockdown in part of Kowloon district early Monday after approximately 7,000 people were tested for coronavirus.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, more than 99 million people worldwide have been infected with Covid-19 and at least 2,127,206 lives have been claimed.
Currencies and oil
The US dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 90.24 after a recent drop from levels above 90.6.
The Japanese yen traded at 103.86 per dollar after levels below 103.5 against last week’s dollar. The Australian dollar changed hands at USD 0.771, from levels above USD 0.776 last week.
Oil prices were lower in the morning of trading hours in Asia, with international benchmark futures on Brent crude oil falling 0.23% to $ 55.28 a barrel. US crude oil futures fell 0.1% to $ 52.22 a barrel.
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