Mainland stocks closed flat on Tuesday as mixed economic data for the country weighed on markets while Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 briefly topped 70,000 for the first time on Tuesday.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index ended the day down 348 points, or 1.4 percent, at 24,493 on turnover of HK$249.88 billion.

The tech index dropped 106 points, or 2.2 percent, at 4,658 while the China enterprises index fell 135 points, or 1.6 percent, at 8,240.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index briefly strengthened past the 4,100 level in morning trade before giving up its gains and dropping four points, or 0.11 percent, to 4,091 on turnover of 1.37 trillion yuan at the end of the day.

The blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.2 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index rose 144 points, or 0.93 percent, to 15,675 on turnover of 1.7 trillion yuan while the ChiNext Index gained 69 points, or 1.72 percent, to 4,102 on turnover of 829.817 billion yuan.

"Consumer confidence remains quite soft in China, as wage growth slows and household balance sheets continue to be impacted by the property price downturn," said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING.

"Given the prominent role of boosting domestic demand in China's Five-Year Plan, more measures to boost consumption could be rolled out moving forward."

Against broader weakness, tech shares joined a regional rally, with the Star50 Index gaining 0.6 percent and the info tech sector index adding 1.6 percent.

Among other winners, the rare earth sector jumped 3.4 percent and the new energy index was up 2.5 percent.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei ended the day up 87 points, or 0.13 percent, at 69,404 after earlier breaching the 70,000 mark for the first time in intraday trading.

The broader Topix, however, lost eight points, or 0.2 percent, to finish at 3,991.

In Seoul, the Kospi rose 180 points, or 2.11 percent, to 8,726 to notch the benchmark's highest close in two weeks, tracking an overnight rally on Wall Street on the US-Iran peace deal. (Reuters/Xinhua)


Edited by Tony Sabine