Asian indexes came under pressure on Monday after the euro soared following Friday speeches from top central bankers. Oil markets, meanwhile, digested the impact of Hurricane Harvey.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index sifted off 2.71 points to 19,449.90
The Hang Seng Index eked up 15.13 points, or 0.1%, to 27,863.29.
Australian markets were pressured, with the heavily-weighted financials sub-index falling 0.9%
Individual market movers that were on the radar included Samsung Electronics. The company's stock, which fell more than 1% after Samsung Group's de-facto head Jae Y. Lee was given a five-year prison term Friday, extended losses to close down 2%. Media outlets attributed the drop in Samsung Electronics' share price to foreign selling. Samsung C&T, another Samsung affiliate, tumbled 3.4%. Lee's lawyer has filed to appeal against the term meted out last week.
Meanwhile, Evergrande Group saw its stock outperform other Hong Kong-listed property shares ahead of posting interim results for the first half of the year. Evergrande shares jumped 5.8%. The company issued an announcement in July that it was expecting a "substantial increase" in profit.
Shares of Wanda Hotel Development plunged following a Taiwanese media report that Dalian Wanda Chairman Wang Jianlin had been prevented from leaving the country. Dalian Wanda said in statement on its website that the rumor was "completely unfounded." Wanda Hotel shares were last down 8.1%.
While U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen did not provide any clues on monetary policy outlook in her speech at a central banking meeting in Jackson Hole, she argued that reforms implemented post-financial crisis have "made the system safer." Some market watchers regarded Yellen's comments as being directed at President Donald Trump and his administration.
Like Yellen, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi stayed mum on the future of monetary policy in the euro zone in his Friday speech. However, the ECB chief's lack of comment on the strength of the euro gave a boost to the common currency.
The U.S. dollar last fetched 109.03 yen, below levels around 109.36 seen last week.
Energy markets digested the impact of Hurricane Harvey on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Shell and Petrobras are among the companies that have closed their refineries in the Houston area due to "severe weather," including heavy rainfall and flooding.
Gasoline futures jumped following the shutdowns, trading higher by 4.7% at $1.7443 U.S. a gallon late afternoon Monday, local time.
CHINA
The CSI 300 gained 46.96 points, or 1.2%, to 3,842.71
Brokerages listed on mainland China also rallied on Monday: Huatai Securities closed up 9.7%, China Merchants Securities soared 7.4% and Citic Securities advanced 6.2%
In other markets
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index recovered 8.05 points, or 0.3%, to 3,267.62
In Taiwan, the Taiex index advanced 10.47 points, or 0.1%, to 10,525.98
In Korea, the Kospi index gave back 8.21 points, or 0.4%, to 2,370.30
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 slid 30.94 points, or 0.4%, to 7,826.87
In Australia, the ASX 200 slipped 33.97 points, or 0.6%, to 5,709.89
