Asian stock indices opened the third session of August mixed with China, China, Australia, and New Zealand lower, while Hong Kong and South Korea gained ground, amid concerns of a second global bout of the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier Australian data showed the construction AIG index up to 42.7 from 35.5 in June, while the New Zealand unemployment rate fell to 4% from 4.2%.
New Zealand's labor costs in the private sector rose 0.2% in the second quarter, slowing from 0.4% in the first.
New Zealand's commodity prices rose 2.3% in July, compared to a 0.7% drop in June.
Japan's TOPEX fell 0.59%, while Nikkei 225 dropped 0.60% to 22,437.
China's CSI 300 declined 0.51%, while Shanghai shed 0.39% to 3,358.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.15%, while South Korea's KOSPI added 0.84% to 2,299.
New Zealand's NZX 50 fell 0.28%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.13% to 5,989.