• Asian stocks handed back earlier modest gains and drifted lower on Monday, running short of incentives to push past two-year highs with many key markets closed for holidays.
The pound, meanwhile, nursed losses after a poll showed a shrinking lead for Prime Minister Theresa May's party in Britain's upcoming elections. MSCI's broadest index of
Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was down 0.2 percent. Taking cues after the S&P 500 .SPX and Nasdaq .IXIC scraped to record closing highs, it had
earlier risen towards a two-year peak marked on Thursday.
• Tokyo stocks were flat in choppy trade on Monday as investors waited for key U.S. economic indicators out this week, including employment data, to provide clues on how soon U.S. interest rates might rise.
The Nikkei share average ended flat at 19,682.57, after moving into and out of positive territory.
• Hong Kong stocks edged up on Monday, on which China markets were closed, with mainland property shares aiding the rise on anticipation of strong home demand in smaller Chinese cities.
The blue chip Hang Seng index rose 0.2 percent to 25,701.63 points, the highest close since July 3, 2015. The Hong Kong China Enterprises Index gained 0.4 percent to 10,619.34.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
.png)
Thai
Eng