Asian stocks climbed and oil prices were choppy on Monday as investors considered the implications of US military action in Venezuela to prepare for a packed week of economic data releases in the first full trading week of the year.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 22 points, or 0.09 percent, to open at 26,361, with its gains tempered by mainland oil companies as a gauge of Hong Kong-listed energy stocks fell 3.1 percent.

On the mainland, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 18 points, or 0.46 percent, at 3,986 while the Shenzhen Component Index was 108 points, or 0.8 percent, up at 13,633.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, was up 0.84 percent at 3,229.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 1.2 percent while S&P 500 e-mini futures were 0.1 percent higher.

Investors are assessing the repercussions of a dramatic weekend of events, which saw the US capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was putting Venezuela under ‍temporary American control.

"The removal of Maduro by the US is unlikely to have meaningful ⁠near-term economic consequences for the global economy," said Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics. "But its political and geopolitical ramifications ‍will reverberate."

"A bearish oil price story is highly unlikely. Venezuela is going to need a lot of help, both capital and engineering, to get its production anywhere near ‌its maximum, which was never that impressive to begin with," said Marko Papic, chief strategist at BCA Research in Los Angeles.

"We are therefore not sellers of ‍oil in this situation and, in fact, think that upside ‌risks could develop," Papic added.

Among regional share markets, ‌the Nikkei ‌225 soared 2.8 percent to near a record high reached two months ago. Japanese stocks extended gains as data showed manufacturing activity stabilised in December, ending a five-month streak of deterioration.

Seoul's Kospi climbed more than 2 percent to hit a fresh record high.

"Given the unexpected turn of events in Venezuela over the weekend, it remains to be seen whether the Trump administration has an appetite for more regime changes," such ‌as in Iran, said Vasu Menon, managing director for investment strategy at OCBC ‍in Singapore.

"The strategic calculations are unfolding against the backdrop of a midterm election year, and developments are unpredictable," he said. "This uncertainty could keep oil prices supported. A more fraught geopolitical environment may buoy haven assets like precious metals." (Reuters/Xinhua)