China Economy, Fed Outlook Churn Asian Stock Markets

06:38 AM EDT, 09/15/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were mixed on the downside Monday, as traders weighed a raft of sluggish economic reports from Beijing, and prospects for easing by central banks in China and the US. Japan trading floors were dark on holiday.

Hong Kong gained ground, while Shanghai fell back. Other regional exchanges were also mixed, while Seoul's KOSPI index struck another all-time zenith.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower, see-sawed and finished up 0.2% on strength in tech issues. After a slug of tepid economic reports from Beijing, traders also leaned into anticipation of easing from the People's Bank of China, and possibly more fiscal stimulus.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 58.40 to 26,446.56, although losing issues outnumbered gainers 52 to 33. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 0.9% on the day, but the Mainland Properties Index fell 1.4%.

Leading the upside was Wuxi Biologics, gaining 6.5%, while toymaker Pop Mart International declined 6.4%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.3% to 3,860.50

In economic news, China's industrial output in August rose 5.2% on-year, slipping from the 5.7% on-year expansion logged in July, reported the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

On the retail side, sales rose 3.4% annually in August, the slowest uptick since November 2024, and slipping from a 3.7% on-year gain in July, reported the NBS.

In other economic reports from Beijing, fixed-asset-investment growth in 2025 through August logged up a scant 0.5% on year, undercut by soft real estate and private-sector investment.

China's unemployment rate edged higher to 5.3% in August, from 5.2% in July, added officials.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 0.4%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 0.5%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.1%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.5%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.2%.

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