Asian stocks open higher on upbeat Chinese manufacturing data

Asian stocks opened in the positive territory on the first session of the week and month, lifted by improved risk-appetite following upbeat Chinese data for the manufacturing and services sectors which showed more-than-expected expansion, according to China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).

Otherwise, the Global Times newspaper reported on Sunday that China wants the US administration to rollback its tariffs on Chinese goods in the phase one of the interim trade agreement between Washington and Beijing in both sides' efforts to resolve the ongoing trade war between them, which has passed its first year.

This came amid the political turmoil in Hong Kong, and President Trump's signing a bill supporting Hong Kong protesters on Wednesday, which China denounced last weekend, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that Beijing will take strong countermeasures against Washington, and that Washington had "evil intentions."

As for stocks, Japanese stock indices were higher during today's session, with the Topix index rising by 0.97% or 16.49 points to 1,715.85, and Nikkei 225 index rose by 1.11% or 257.97 points to 23,551.88.

The Chinese stocks also rose today, as the CSI 300 index rose by 0.40% or 15.44 points to 3,844.11, and the Shanghai Composite index fell by 0.25% or 7.29 points to 2,879.28.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose by 0.39%, or 102.34 points to 26,448.83, and the South Korean Kospi fell by 0.45%, or 9.33 points to 2,097.29.

To Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index, which rose by 0.61% or 41.80 points to 6,887.80, and New Zealand's NZX 50 rose by 0.08% or 9.34 points to 11,325.92.