Chinese shares fluctuate before ending modestly higher

Asian stocks ended mostly lower on Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of new tariffs on European countries dented demand for riskier assets.

Regional losses, however, remained limited after China met its 5 percent growth mandate for 2025.

The EU is weighing additional countermeasures beyond the tariffs after Trump proposed new levies on eight countries over his plans to acquire Greenland.

Gold resumed gains and touched a new record high of $4,690.75 an ounce in early Asian trade as the dollar weakened against most of its major peers. Oil edged lower as tensions over Iran cooled.

Chinese shares fluctuated before ending modestly higher after the release of mixed economic data. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index edged up by 0.29 percent to 4,114.

 

The offshore yuan hit a fresh thirty-two-month high after official data showed China's economy expanded by 5 percent in 2025, meeting the government's annual growth target.

Industrial production growth for December beat expectations but retail sales and fixed asset investment numbers came in below estimates. The unemployment rate came in at 5.1 percent last month, unchanged from the November reading.

China's new bank lending in 2025 slumped to a seven-year low, raising concerns over demand prospects in the country.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 1.05 percent to 26,563.90, extending losses to a third consecutive session amid selling across the board.

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