Hang Seng tests 25,150 support on bearish close: Live levels

Asian stock markets opened the week with caution, with Japan's Nikkei index barely moving. The Nikkei 225 remained virtually unchanged at 65,968 points in Tokyo. The broader Topix index rose by 0.3% to 4,080. China's Shanghai index also declined, losing 0.6% to 3,880 points. The CSI-300 index, which tracks the 300 largest Chinese companies, fell by 1.1% to 4,566 points.

Ahead of Nvidia's eagerly anticipated quarterly earnings on Wednesday, technology stocks in Tokyo faced pressure, with Fujikura down 3.5% and SoftBank falling 3.3%. Tokyo Electron, a chip equipment manufacturer, rose by 2.1%. Nomura Securities strategist Wataru Akiyama dismissed concerns about semiconductor companies' profitability as merely a pretext for sales.

Geopolitical tensions added to the mood, with investors nervously awaiting possible US sanctions against Iran and an escalating trade war between the US and Canada. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics disappointed investors, with its stock falling by 8% despite a $79 billion capital return program falling short of expectations. SK Hynix, its rival, gained 0.4%.