Asian indexes closed mixed Tuesday as investors digested the release of China July trade data during the session.
The Nikkei 225 fell back 59.88 points, or 0.3%, to 19,996.01
The Hang Seng Index gained 164.55 points, or 0.6%, to 27,845.91
On the earnings front, Japan's SoftBank said Monday that quarterly operating profits increased 50% on year to 479.2 billion yen ($4.33 billion U.S.). That followed the company's inclusion of Vision Fund, a private equity fund, as a segment in its business. SoftBank stock finished the session 0.9% lower.
Shares of Samsung Electronics shrugged off headlines that Samsung Group Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee faced charges linked to the bribery of South Korea's former president Park Geun-hye. A 12-year jail term is being pursued by prosecutors and the South Korean court is expected to make its ruling on Aug. 25.
Samsung Electronics stock rose 0.3% while other companies in the group, including Samsung Heavy and Samsung Engineering, were pressured.
Other market movers included Korea Electric Power Corporation, which saw its stock climb 1.1% after tumbling more than 1.5% earlier in the session. The move in KEPCO shares came after the utilities firm announced Monday that second-quarter net profits had fallen close to 80%, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, several Hong Kong-listed property shares linked to a deal involving Dalian Wanda jumped in afternoon trade. That followed an announcement filed by Wanda Hotel Development to the Hong Kong Exchange refuting media reports it was disposing of several projects in Australia. Wanda Hotel shares were up 8%, Guangzhou R&F Properties bounced 6.4% and Sunac stock rose 4.8% by late afternoon local time.
Asian corporates expected to report earnings during the day include Hong Kong's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation. SMIC shares soared 3.7% late afternoon before the release of its results.
Australian markets were driven lower by losses in the energy and industrials sub-indexes, which were 0.5% and 1.1% lower, respectively. The heavily weighted financials sub-index was down 0.4%
In other corporate news, fallout from a banking scandal Down Under remained in the spotlight, with Reuters reporting Tuesday that the Commonwealth Bank of Australia would be scrapping the bonus of its CEO. CBA earlier blamed a software blunder for a series of transactions that reportedly breached anti-money laundering law.
CBA shares closed down 1.1% in line with broader declines in Australian banking stocks: ANZ finished the session down 0.4% and National Australia Bank closed flat.
The Australian dollar, which is sensitive to Chinese economic data, climbed ahead of the data release, but later gave up some gains. The currency traded at $0.7923 U.S. late afternoon local time, compared to a low of $0.7902 seen earlier in the session.
CHINA
The CSI 300 added 5.42 points, or 0.2%, to 3,732.21
With the Tuesday session light on data, investors focused their attention on the release of China July trade data. July exports rose 7.2% in dollar terms while imports increased 11% in dollar terms.
Analysts expected a 10.9% rise in Chinese exports in July from a year ago in dollar terms. July imports were forecast to increase 16.6% in dollar terms.
In other markets
In Taiwan, the Taiex index slid 10.41 points, or 0.1%, to 10,568.97
In Korea, the Kospi index shed 4.02 points, or 0.2%, to 2,394.73
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index dropped 2.59 points, or 0.1%, to 3,318.08
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 gained 11.14 points, or 0.1%, to 7,782.72
In Australia, the ASX 200 declined 29.8 points, or 0.5%, to 5,743.75
