Shares were mixed Tuesday in Asia after the US military said it carried out what it called “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats placing mines.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index ended down six points, or 0.03 percent, to 25,599 on market turnover of HK$359.48 billion.

The China enterprises index was 26 points, or 0.3 percent, higher at 8,576 while the tech index was 77 points, or 1.6 percent, up at 4,946.

On the mainland, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed down seven points, or 0.17 percent, at 4,145.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 19 points, or 0.12 percent, higher at 15,876 while the ChiNext was 21 points, or 0.54 percent, up at 4,043.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei share average ended 162 points, or 0.25 percent, at 64,996 on Tuesday, retreating from a record high in the previous session, as investors locked in profits and rising oil prices weighed on sentiment.

In Seoul, the Kospi closed up 199 points, or 2.55 percent, at a record closing high of 8,047.

"The market's reaction remains almost mechanical at this point," said Stephen Innes, an analyst at SPI Asset Management.

"Every incremental diplomatic headline involving Iran gets treated like another liquidity injection directly into risk appetite.

"Yet beneath the surface, the actual negotiations still resemble two traders standing on opposite sides of the pit pretending the spread has narrowed while the hardest legs of the trade remain unresolved." (Agencies/Xinhua)


Edited by Tony Sabine