Asian stock open mixed with Powell's speech in focus

Asian stocks opened today with a mixed performance but mostly positive, with the Japanese, Chinese and the Australian stocks in addition to Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index and the South Korean Kospi rising while the New Zealand's stocks fell after weak retail sales data that showed a slowdown during the second quarter.

Global bankers, finance ministers and financial market participants are expected to show up in the Jackson Hole symposium which will last for three days, while US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will deliver a speech today titled "Challenges of monetary policy," while US President Trump renewed his criticism of the Chairman.

Japanese stocks saw rise today, with Topix rising by 0.20% or 2.98 points to 1,501.04, and Nikkei 225 rising by 0.22% or 44.85 points ato 20,672.86.

Chinese stocks also rose today, as CSI 300 rose by 0.89% or 33.89 points to 3,827.40, and Shanghai Composite rose by 0.61% or 17.57 to 2,901.01.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose by 0.60% or 157.53 points to 26,206.25. South Korea's Kospi rose by 0.11% or 2.22 points to 1,953.23.

To New Zealand's NZX 50 which fell by 0.74% or 78.88 points to 10,646.34, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose by 0.32% or 20.89 points to 6,522.70.