Mainland and Hong Kong stocks closed flat on Monday as the collapse of US-Iran peace talks dampened risk appetite across the region.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended down 232 points, or 0.9 percent, at 25,660.

The China enterprises index was down almost 53 points, or 0.61 percent, at 8,602 while the tech index was 38 points, or 0.79 percent, lower at 4,822.

On the mainland, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index inched up by just over two points, or 0.06 percent, to 3,988 while the blue-chip CSI300 Index added over nine points, or 0.2 percent to end at 4,646, both clawing back from steep losses at the opening hour

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.69 percent higher at 14,407 while the ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 0.8 percent to close at 3,476.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei ⁠fell 421 points, or 0.7 percent to close at 56,502 after posting last week its steepest weekly gain in more than a year.

The broader Topix slid close to 17 points, or 0.5 percent, to 3,723.

In Seoul, the benchmark Kospi closed down 50 points, or 0.86 percent, at 5,808, after falling more than two percent earlier in the session.

The flat performance came after the US military said it would begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting ⁠Iranian ports and coastal areas at 10pm Hong Kong time on Monday after weekend talks failed to reach ⁠a deal to end the war in Iran, jeopardising a fragile two-week ceasefire.

"Ongoing geopolitical tensions are making it hard for ⁠the market to break out of its current slump," analysts at Soochow Futures wrote in a note.

"High volatility and choppy, range-bound trading are likely to persist for the near term."

Still, China's domestic economic recovery remained ⁠intact with factory-gate prices rising for the first time in more than three years in March, they added.

Investors are also awaiting key China macro data releases this week, including trade data on Tuesday, March credit figures and first-quarter real GDP.

"China looks relatively attractive given the domestically orientated nature of its economy and equity markets, as well as valuations and risks to current earnings expectations," analysts at BNP ⁠Paribas said in a note.

"If the situation remains uncertain and energy prices stay elevated, then we would expect this outperformance to continue."

Among winning sectors, the CSI New Energy Index added 1.9 percent and the CSI New Energy Vehicle Index climbed 1.7 percent.

The CSI 300 Energy Index gained 0.5 percent.

Weighing on the markets, the CSI Oil and ⁠Gas Industry Sub Index lost 0.9 percent while liquor makers were down 0.5 percent. (Reuters/Xinhua)


Edited by Tony Sabine