Asian equity benchmarks are trading mixed on Monday, as the rising new coronavirus cases and death tolls weighed on the market sentiments despite upbeat corporate earnings results and optimism for larger covid fiscal aid in the US. Oil stocks are in negative pace after dip of crude oil prices on Friday. Japan’s Nikkei is in advancing mode as investors shifted focus to the corporate earnings season in Japan and on lifted sentiments as Japan's coronavirus daily cases number fell below 4,000. Among the Asian markets, Japan, Hong Kong, China and South Korea are in positive note. Bucking the trend, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia is trading lower.
Nikkei 225 up by 120.34 points or 0.42% to 28,751.79, Hang Seng increased by 609.16 points or 2.07% to 30,057.01, KOSPI Index lifted 58.42 points or 1.86% to 3,199.05, and Shanghai Composite higher by 20.26 points or 0.56% to 3,627.01.
On the flip side, Straits Times dipped by 7.07 points or 0.24% to 2,984.46, Taiwan Weighted curtailed 80.26 points or 0.50% to 15,938.77, Jakarta Composite narrowed 87.41 points or 1.39% to 6,219.72, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI down by 4.19 points 0.26% to 1,592.55.
