SINGAPORE — Shares in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed on Monday ahead of the release of a private survey on Chinese factory activity for July.
Over the weekend, China’s official Purchasing Managers’ Index reading for July came in at 49, down from 50.2 in June and lower than the expected 50.4.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix index were fractionally lower.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 inched up 0.11%.
The Kospi in South Korea slipped 0.55% and the Kosdaq declined 0.2%.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside of Japan lost 0.2%.
China’s Caixin/Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index for July is expected to come in at 51.5, compared with 51.7 in June.
PMI readings are sequential and represent month-on-month expansion or contraction. The 50 mark separates growth from decline.
On Friday in the U.S., Alibaba was added to a list of companies at risk of delisting under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. U.S.-listed shares plunged 11% in the regular trading session.
HSBC is set to announce its interim earnings Monday.
Currencies and oil
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 106.005, lower than last week’s levels.
The Japanese yen traded at 133.27 per dollar, stronger than levels seen early last week. The Australian dollar was at $0.6972.
Oil futures slipped. U.S. crude futures fell 0.95% to $97.68 per barrel, while Brent crude dropped 0.77% to $103.17 per barrel.