TLE DESK: Asian stocks were mostly lower on Monday, tracking a subdued end to last week’s Wall Street session, even as U.S. futures inched higher ahead of key economic signals.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.3% to 50,226.67 after official data showed Japan’s economy contracted by an annualised 1.8% in the July–September quarter. The yen weakened slightly, with the dollar trading at ¥154.65, compared with ¥154.58 previously.
Chinese markets also retreated. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.8% to 26,359.22, while the Shanghai Composite dropped 0.4% to 3,973.31. The declines came amid renewed diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo, following comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan.
South Korea, however, bucked the regional trend. The Kospi surged 1.7%, lifted by heavy demand for tech shares. SK Hynix rallied 6.8% and Samsung Electronics gained 3.3% after both companies announced expanded collaboration with Nvidia on artificial intelligence development.
Elsewhere in the region, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 eased marginally to 8,628.60. Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.4%, while India’s Sensex edged up 0.3%.
Global Backdrop
U.S. futures pointed to modest gains in early trading, with S&P 500 futures up 0.5% and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures up 0.1%, following a mixed close on Friday. Market sentiment remains shaped by uncertainty over Federal Reserve policy, interest rate expectations, and ongoing inflation pressures.
Crude oil prices dipped in early Monday trading, while Bitcoin climbed 1.1% to $95,400. The euro also weakened slightly, trading at $1.1602.
G7 foreign ministers are meeting in Canada this week as global trade tensions continue to escalate, particularly in light of renewed friction between Washington and key trading partners under the Trump administration.
