Asian stocks started mostly lower in light trading Monday, but finished mixed, as a Wall Street slump and a partial U.S. government shutdown clouded holiday cheer.
Markets in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines were closed.
Trade tensions were slightly improved after a Chinese media report of “new progress” last week in trade talks between the U.S. and China. A separate report said Beijing is addressing U.S. concerns by working on a law to improve intellectual property rights and grant equal right to foreign investors.
