Asian markets are exhibiting mixed trend in the early deals on Monday after investors found no surprises from last week's key meeting of central bankers while gasoline futures spiked after Tropical Storm Harvey battered Texas' refinery-rich Gulf Coast. Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei share average edged lower as investors assessed the impact of a weaker dollar following a central bank conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, as well as the damage from Tropical Storm Harvey. Among the other Asian markets, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Malaysia are in positive territory. Bucking the trend, South Korea, Indonesia and Taiwan are lower.
Nikkei 225 declined 20.86 points or 0.11% to 19,431.75, KOSPI Index dropped 10.26 points or 0.43% to 2,368.25, Jakarta Composite decreased 9.88 points or 0.17% to 5,905.48, and Taiwan Weighted was down by 4 points or 0.04% to 10,511.51.
On the flip side, Hang Seng added 155.2 points or 0.56% to 28,003.36, Straits Times gained 3.26 points or 0.10%to 3,262.83, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI increased 2.17 points or 0.12% to 1,771.34, and Shanghai Composite was up by 28.65 points or 0.86% to 3,360.17.