Investing.com - Asian stocks were mixed to lower on Monday, falling on the coattails of weak Japanese business sentiment figures and reports that China's manufacturing sector continues to cool, which sent investors ditching equities and snapping up safe-haven currency positions.
During Asian trading on Monday, Australia's S&P/ASX200 was up 0.01%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index was down 0.73%.
The HSBC China Manufacturing purchasing managers index came to 47.9 for September, up slightly from 47.6 in August.
Still, a reading of 50 separates expansion and contraction.
Official Chinese data painted a similar picture.
China's official factory purchasing managers' index hit 49.8 in September, up from 49.2 in August, according to the country's National Bureau of Statistics.
The official numbers still missed the 50 threshold separating expansion and contraction.
Meanwhile in Japan, big manufacturers remained pessimistic over the economy during the July-September period.
The Bank of Japan reported earlier that its Tankan Manufacturing index fell to a seasonally adjusted -3 in the third quarter, from -1 in the second quarter.
Analysts had expected Tankan Manufacturing index, which measures business sentiment, to fall to -3 in the last quarter.
Soft U.S. data released last week further fueled dollar demand, sending stocks falling in the process.
In the U.S., meanwhile, the Chicago purchasing managers' index contracted for the first time since September 2009, dipping to seasonally adjusted 49.7 compared to 53.0 August.
Analysts had expected the Chicago PMI to remain unchanged at 53.0 in September.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final index on consumer sentiment for September fell to a seasonally adjusted 78.3 from 79.2 the previous month.
Analysts had expected the index to fall to 79.0 in September.
Ongoing concerns over Europe and its ability to navigate itself out of the debt crisis pushed stocks down as well.
In Australia, top gainers included Arrium, up 21.10%, Mirabela Nickel, up 11.63%, and Macmahon Holdings, up 0.57%.
Australia's top decliners included Energy World, down 7.50%, Caracen Mineral Holdings, down 3.03%, and Sims Metal Management, down 2.51%.
European stock futures indicated a lower opening.
France's CAC 40 futures pointed to a loss of 0.45%, while Germany's DAX 30 futures pointed to a loss of 0.38%. Meanwhile in the U.K., FTSE 100 futures indicated a loss of 0.23%.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a loss of 0.22% while the S&P 500 futures were down 0.36%.
In the U.S., the Institute for Supply Management will release its manufacturing PMI, a leading indicator of economic health.
Also Monday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is due to speak at the Economic Club of Indiana, in Indianapolis.
During Asian trading on Monday, Australia's S&P/ASX200 was up 0.01%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index was down 0.73%.
The HSBC China Manufacturing purchasing managers index came to 47.9 for September, up slightly from 47.6 in August.
Still, a reading of 50 separates expansion and contraction.
Official Chinese data painted a similar picture.
China's official factory purchasing managers' index hit 49.8 in September, up from 49.2 in August, according to the country's National Bureau of Statistics.
The official numbers still missed the 50 threshold separating expansion and contraction.
Meanwhile in Japan, big manufacturers remained pessimistic over the economy during the July-September period.
The Bank of Japan reported earlier that its Tankan Manufacturing index fell to a seasonally adjusted -3 in the third quarter, from -1 in the second quarter.
Analysts had expected Tankan Manufacturing index, which measures business sentiment, to fall to -3 in the last quarter.
Soft U.S. data released last week further fueled dollar demand, sending stocks falling in the process.
In the U.S., meanwhile, the Chicago purchasing managers' index contracted for the first time since September 2009, dipping to seasonally adjusted 49.7 compared to 53.0 August.
Analysts had expected the Chicago PMI to remain unchanged at 53.0 in September.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final index on consumer sentiment for September fell to a seasonally adjusted 78.3 from 79.2 the previous month.
Analysts had expected the index to fall to 79.0 in September.
Ongoing concerns over Europe and its ability to navigate itself out of the debt crisis pushed stocks down as well.
In Australia, top gainers included Arrium, up 21.10%, Mirabela Nickel, up 11.63%, and Macmahon Holdings, up 0.57%.
Australia's top decliners included Energy World, down 7.50%, Caracen Mineral Holdings, down 3.03%, and Sims Metal Management, down 2.51%.
European stock futures indicated a lower opening.
France's CAC 40 futures pointed to a loss of 0.45%, while Germany's DAX 30 futures pointed to a loss of 0.38%. Meanwhile in the U.K., FTSE 100 futures indicated a loss of 0.23%.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a loss of 0.22% while the S&P 500 futures were down 0.36%.
In the U.S., the Institute for Supply Management will release its manufacturing PMI, a leading indicator of economic health.
Also Monday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is due to speak at the Economic Club of Indiana, in Indianapolis.