Asian markets settled mostly down on Monday tracking Wall Street’s overnight fall after the latest US jobs report sent mixed signals about US economy and interest rate outlook. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics report on Friday showed that US Non-farm payroll employment surged by 275,000 jobs in February, but the unemployment rate rose to 3.9 percent. Japanese shares declined with selling led by semiconductor shares, while exporters hurt by a stronger yen. However, Chinese and Hong Kong shares gained after data showed consumer prices in China rose for the first time since August, that eased worries about deflation in the world's second largest economy.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,068.46 | 22.44 | 0.73 |
| Hang Seng | 16,587.57 | 234.18 | 1.41 |
| Jakarta Composite | -- | -- | -- |
| KLSE Composite | 1,544.71 | 4.85 | 0.31 |
| Nikkei 225 | 38,820.49 | -868.45 | -2.24 |
| Straits Times | 3,138.42 | -8.67 | -0.28 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,659.84 | -20.51 | -0.77 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 19,726.08 | -59.24 | -0.30 |
