Mainland stocks recouped earlier losses and ended largely flat on Monday as investors turned cautious ahead of a busy week of major central bank meetings.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index ended 118 points, or 0.5 percent, higher at 23,211 on turnover of HK$175.76 billion.

The tech index dropped 14 points, or 0.4 percent, to 3,857 while the China enterprises index gained 45 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,802.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index reversed losses to close up seven points, or 0.19 percent, at 3,697 on turnover of 746.52 billion yuan while the blue-chip CSI300 index was roughly unchanged at 4,103.

The Shenzhen Component Index fell 139 points, or 1.19 percent, to close at 11,534 on turnover of 862.25 billion yuan.

Tech shares remained among the key losers, with the startup board ChiNext Composite index falling 45 points, or 1.71 percent, to 2,638 on turnover of 428.14 billion yuan while Shanghai's tech-focused Star50 index tumbling 2.2 percent.

The CSI 5G communications, which tracks the industry, plunged four percent.

Partly offsetting the weakness, oil and gas shares bounced, with a sub-index tracking the sector rising 2.4 percent, as persistent attacks on key producer Saudi Arabia kept investors cautious despite hopes for easing tensions between the United States and Iran.

Mainland stocks were volatile last week, with blue-chip shares posting a record-long weekly losing streak, despite a surge in trading in exchange-traded funds favoured by state-backed investors.

"Concerns over selling caused by trust tax, pressure on e-commerce, a weakening macro and elevated global market volatility have caused an acceleration of China's market correction," analysts at Morgan Stanley said in a note.

"So for the A-share market, important to watch is when the national team officially starts to buy in a high-profile way," they said.

In the region, stock markets traded cautiously ahead of a week packed with central bank meetings and corporate earnings that will further test investor confidence in the AI boom.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei slid 503 points, or 0.8 percent, to 62,189 as the 225 share gauge lost ground for a third straight session amid a continued decline for chip-related shares.

The broader Topix inched up seven points, or 0.18 percent, to 3,972.

In Seoul, the tech-heavy Kospi closed down 80 points, or 1.46 percent, at 5,469 as chipmakers fell, with Samsung Electronics losing 1.16 percent while peer SK hynix lost 0.16 percent. (Reuters/Xinhua)



Edited by Tony Sabine