Caixin Manufacturing PMI, China, Currencies, Oil

SINGAPORE – Shares in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed on Monday ahead of the release of a private survey on sugar factory activity for July.

Over the weekend, China’s official Purchasing Managers’ Index reading for July fell to 49, down from 50.2 in June and below the expected 50.4.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix index were partially lower.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.11%.

In South Korea, the Kospi closed down 0.55% and the Kodak 0.2%.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.2%.

China’s Caixin/Market Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index for July is expected to come in at 51.5, compared to 51.7 in June.

PMI readings are gradual and represent expansion or contraction from month to month. The 50 mark separates growth from decline.

Alibaba was on Friday included in the US list of companies at risk of delisting under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. US-listed shares fell 11% in the regular trading session.

HSBC is set to announce its interim earnings on Monday.

The US dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 106.005, lower than the previous week’s level.

The Japanese yen was trading at 133.27 per dollar, stronger than the levels seen earlier last week. The Australian dollar was at $0.6972.

Oil futures slipped. US crude futures fell 0.95% to $97.68 a barrel, while Brent crude fell 0.77% to $103.17 a barrel.