Asia-Pacific markets rose as investors awaited key economic results from the region.

Asia-Pacific markets traded slightly higher on Monday as the region kicked off a data-heavy week, with investors focusing on economic readings from several countries, including Japan, South Korea and China.

Over the weekend, China released it. Official Purchasing Managers’ Index Readings for November. The manufacturing PMI came in at 50.3 – its highest level since April – beating the 50.2 expected by economists polled by Reuters. Manufacturing PMI came in at 50.1 in October.

China’s non-manufacturing PMI fell to 50.0 from 50.2 last month, while the composite PMI was steady at 50.8.

A reading above 50 indicates an expansion in activity, while below that indicates a contraction.

On Monday, S&P Global will release manufacturing PMI readings for economies across Asia. including the Caixin PMI survey for China.

Australia’s retail sales rose 3.4 percent in October, its fastest year-on-year increase since May 2023.

Indonesia will release November inflation data later.

of South Korea Kospi was trading near a flat line, and the small-cap Kosdek rose 0.13 percent. Over the weekend, South Korea’s preliminary trade data showed exports grew at the slowest pace since September 2023.

Exports rose 1.4 percent year-on-year in November. Economists polled by Reuters missed expectations for growth of 2.8 percent and a sharp decline from October’s 4.6 percent increase.

However, Japan’s benchmark Nikki 225 There was a modest increase, while broad-based topics were up 0.68%.

of Hong Kong Hang Seng Index Gained 0.21 percent, while mainland China’s CSI 300 gained 0.26 percent. The Hang Seng Mainland Properties Index rose 0.5 percent after growth in China. New home prices rose in November.

of Australia S&P/ASX 200 The day started at 0.16 percent.

In America on Friday, The Dow Jones Industrial Average And S&P 500 hit new highs and recorded their best months of 2024 amid a short trading day.

The S&P 500 added 0.56%, while Nasdaq Composite There was an increase of 0.83 percent. The Dow climbed 188.59 points, or 0.42%. Both the Dow and the S&P 500 marked new intraday and closing highs.

Some of the upward momentum came from chip stocks, which subsequently popped. Bloomberg reported. that the Biden administration was considering additional barriers to sales of semiconductor equipment to China. were not so strong. As expected earlier. Lam Research increased by more than 3 percent, while Nvidia jumped more than 2 percent.

— CNBC’s Alex Herring contributed to this report.