Asian shares were mostly higher on Monday, while U.S. futures were mixed, following a weaker-than-expected report on the U.S. economy that pulled Wall Street from its all-time high. Oil prices also moved in mixed directions, according to infohub.kz.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index gained 0.3% to 68,929.33 after the Japanese government reported the economy grew slightly faster than forecast in the April-June quarter, expanding at a 1.1% annual pace. However, private spending and investment stayed flat, and export growth slowed. In quarterly terms, the economy grew 0.3% in the second quarter.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 1.6% to 25,521.99, while the Shanghai Composite index gained 0.8% to 3,960.19. South Korean markets were closed for a holiday. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.4% to 9,076.90. Taiwan's Taiex gained 0.5%, while India's Sensex fell 0.5%.
On Friday, the S&P 500 fell 0.2% following a report showing U.S. shoppers spent less at retail stores last month. Such data could help the Federal Reserve keep interest rates low, which is positive for investors. But it also suggests growth may be slowing while inflation remains high. The Fed lacks effective tools to address both a stagnating economy and high inflation simultaneously, making "stagflation" a worst-case scenario.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite shed 0.3%. Wall Street awaits financial results from major U.S. retailers this week.
Home Depot reports its results on Tuesday, followed by Target and Lowe's on Wednesday, and Walmart on Thursday. These results will provide insight into how businesses and consumers are coping with persistently high inflation. Additionally, the release of the Federal Reserve's minutes from its July meeting will offer more details on interest rate policy.
In other trading, Brent crude, the international benchmark, edged 0.1% higher to $88.62 per barrel, while U.S. benchmark crude slipped 0.3% to $82.19 per barrel.
With prospects for a deal to end the war with Iran unclear, oil supply stability remains uncertain, as the Strait of Hormuz is nearly closed, blocking a vital route for oil and gas tankers from the Middle East.
The U.S. dollar fell to 159.09 Japanese yen from 159.32 yen. The euro rose to $1.1587 from $1.1588.


