Asia-Pacific markets close mixed as investors await details of U.S-China talks

Asia-Pacific markets ended the day mixed Monday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.68% to close at 25,562.13, while mainland China's CSI 300 index increased by 0.21% to 4,135.82.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Kospi index advanced 0.42% to close at 3,209.52, while the small-cap Kosdaq declined 0.32% to 804.40.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 benchmark increased by 0.36% to end the day at 8,697.70.

Over in India, the 50-stock benchmark Nifty 50 fell 0.67%, while the BSE Sensex index lost 0.64% as of 1.45 p.m. Indian Standard Time (4.15 a.m. ET).

— Amala Balakrishner

Shares of Samsung Electronics surged as much as 6.07% to hit 69,900 on Monday, its highest level since Sept. 5, 2024.

Shares of the South Korean memory chipmaker rallied following its $16.5 billion contract to supply semiconductors to Tesla, as confirmed by the latter's chief Elon Musk in a post on X.

— Amala Balakrishner

Indian stocks fell in early trade Monday.

The 50-stock benchmark Nifty 50 was down 0.21% while the BSE Sensex index lost 0.22% as of 9.30 a.m. Indian Standard time (12 a.m. ET).

— Amala Balakrishner

Indonesian stocks rallied for its fourth consecutive session Monday and hit a 9-month high.

The benchmark Jakarta Exchange Composite Index was up 1.34% as at 10:32 a.m. local time (11:32 p.m. ET Sunday), after hitting a high of 7,658.95, its highest level since late October 2024, according to LSEG data.

Gains were led by the utilities, financials and real estate sector.

The best performing stocks on the index include Bukit Uluwatu Villa, which surged 27.07%, Capitalinc Investment, which gained 25% and Citra Putra Realty, which rose 24.86%.

— Amala Balakrishner

Vietnamese stocks reached a fresh high on Monday, extending their gains from the previous session's 39-month high.

The benchmark Vietnam Index was trading 0.91% higher at 1,545.10 as at 10:20 a.m. local time (11:20 p.m. ET Sunday), after hitting a high of 1,547.01 earlier in the session, LSEG data showed.

Monday's session also marks the benchmark's fifth consecutive day of gains.

The best three performing stocks were SJ Group, which surged 6.99%, Vietnam Container Shipping, which gained 6.97% and LIX Detergent, which advanced 6.96%.

— Amala Balakrishner

Shares of CK Hutchison swung from gains to losses Monday after announcing that it wanted a "major strategic investor" from China to be part of a BlackRock-led consortium bidding for its $22.8 billion ports business.

The investor would join as a "significant member" of the consortium, the company said in a regulatory filing hours after the expiry of a 145-day exclusivity window with the group.

The sale of CK Hutchison's 43 ports, which included two along the Panama Canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, has been viewed by Beijing as a threat to its interests. Having a Chinese investor on board will likely ease any challenges for the company.

Chinese state-owned China Cosco Shipping Corp was reportedly looking to join the consortium, media reports showed.

Shares of the Li Ka-shing-owned company was back in the green as of 11.12 a.m. local time (11.12 p.m. ET Sunday) and had risen as much as 2.15%.

— Amala Balakrishner

Hong Kong stocks started the day higher Monday, following mixed trading in the other key Asia-Pacific markets.

As of 10 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET Sunday), the Hang Seng Index added 0.49%.

Meanwhile, mainland China's CSI 300 traded flat as investors await more details on the U.S.-China talks which were slated to kick off in Stockholm later in the day.

— Amala Balakrishner

Shares of Samsung Electronics rose as much as 3.49% Monday following its announcement of a $16.5 billion contract for supplying semiconductors.

The South Korean memory chipmaker did not name the counterparty.

Read more here.

— Amala Balakrishner, Dylan Butts

Shares of Advantest Corp plunged as much as 10.35% Monday after the company completed the disposal of its treasury stocks as restricted stock.

The Japanese semiconductor equipment maker announced on Friday that 55,956 common stock shares were disposed at 10,700 Japanese yen ($72.40) per share.

That translates to a total disposal amount of 598.7 million Japanese yen.

The disposal of treasury stock as restricted stock happens when a company compensates employees with previously repurchased shares.

— Amala Balakrishner

Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed Monday.

As of 8:10 a.m. Singapore time (8:10 p.m. ET), Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark fell 0.85% while the broader Topix index moved down 0.44%.

In South Korea, the Kospi index added 0.15% while the small-cap Kosdaq was flat.

Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 benchmark added 0.2%.

— Amala Balakrishner

U.S. equity futures rose in early Asia hours after U.S. President Donald Trump lowered tariffs on the European Union to 15%, from 30% previously.

As of 8:03 a.m. Singapore time (8:03 p.m. ET Sunday), the S&P 500 futures added 0.39%, while Nasdaq 100 futures were 0.53% higher. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 156 points, or 0.35%.

— Amala Balakrishner

Good morning from Singapore.

Investors will be keeping a close watch on Chinese markets following reports that the country will resume trade talks with the U.S. in Stockholm on Monday to discuss longstanding economic disputes.

The talks will be led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index stood at 25,396, pointing to a stronger open compared with the HSI's last close of 25,388.35.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open higher, with the futures contract in Chicago at 41,645 while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 41,410, against the index's Friday close of 41,456.23.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was set to start the day lower with futures tied to the benchmark at 8,626, compared with its last close of 8,666.90.

— Amala Balakrishner

All three major averages finished in positive territory on Friday and posted gains for the weekly period.

The S&P 500 ended the session 0.40% higher, closing at 6,388.64, while the Nasdaq Composite finished the day up 0.24% to reach 21,108.32. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also rose 208.01 points, or 0.47%, to settle at 44,901.92.

— Sean Conlon

Investors shouldn't fret over potential volatility in the market over the coming weeks, according to Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi, chief investment officer for the Americas and global head of equities at UBS Global Wealth Management.

"Threats to Fed independence could linger as a risk to markets over the coming weeks, in our view. We also see potential risks from any resurgence of trade tensions ahead of the White House's 1 August deadline, along with any signs of economic harm from tariffs. With global stocks at all-time highs, some combination of these has the potential to contribute to market volatility in the weeks ahead," she wrote.

"Nevertheless, we would expect market swings to be temporary," Hoffmann-Burchardi continued.

— Sean Conlon