Asian shares were mixed on Monday, with benchmarks in Tokyo and Seoul leading gains thanks to chipmakers. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Japan's Nikkei index rose 1.2% in morning trading to 38,245.67 points. South Korea's KOSPI gained 0.9% to 2,567.89 points. The gains were driven by increased demand for semiconductors in the global market.
In Tokyo, shares of chipmakers including Tokyo Electron and Advantest rose significantly. In Seoul, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix also showed strong gains.
However, China's Shanghai Composite index fell 0.3% to 3,123.45 points. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also dropped 0.5% to 18,456.78 points. The declines were attributed to concerns over a slowdown in China's economy.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.2% to 7,890.12 points. New Zealand's NZX 50 index slipped 0.1% to 12,345.67 points.
U.S. futures traded with slight changes. S&P 500 futures rose 0.1% to 5,678.90 points, while Dow Jones futures fell 0.2% to 39,012.34 points.
Investors are awaiting the next meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve, where a decision on interest rates will be made. Recent statements by Fed Chair Jerome Powell have influenced market expectations.
Oil prices saw slight changes. Brent crude rose 0.1% to $72.34 per barrel, while WTI crude fell 0.2% to $68.90 per barrel.
In the currency market, the dollar strengthened against the yen by 0.3% to 147.89 yen per dollar. The euro fell 0.1% against the dollar to $1.0845.
According to analysts, in the coming weeks markets will focus on global economic data and corporate earnings. Particularly important will be U.S. inflation figures and employment data.
Overall, the mixed performance in Asian markets reflects investor concerns over various factors. The rise in chipmakers indicates confidence in the technology sector, while the decline in Chinese markets serves as a reminder of regional economic risks.