Asia-Pacific markets started the week with slight declines, as investors awaited China’s trade data and focusing on central bank decisions.
By 11:30 am AEDT (1:30 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.3%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.1%, and South Korea’s Kospi 200 eased 0.2%.
Revised Japanese gross domestic product (GDP) data showed the economy contracted at an annualised rate of 2.3% in the third quarter, worse than economists’ 2.0% forecast and the preliminary 1.8% reading.
Meanwhile, China’s exports surged 5.9% on a year-over-year basis in November, far exceeding expectations of 3.8% as manufacturers rushed to ship inventory following a trade breakthrough with Washington, while imports rose a softer-than-forecast 1.9% amid continued weakness in domestic demand.
Last Friday, major United States benchmarks recorded modest gains, with the Dow up 0.2% and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite each up 0.2%.
Brent crude rose 0.8% to US$63.75 per barrel, while spot gold ticked down 0.2% to US$4,198.69 per ounce.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite gained 0.7% to 3,902.8 and the CSI 300 added 0.8% to 4,584.5.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.6% to 26,085.1, while India’s BSE Sensex climbed 0.5% to 85,712.4.
European markets finished mixed, with the FTSE 100 down 0.5% at 9,667.0, the DAX up 0.6% to 24,028.1, and the CAC 40 down 0.1% to 8,114.7.
