Japan's current account surplus expanded for the 16th consecutive month in May. Real wages declined for the 26th consecutive month in May as wage gains lagged overall inflation.
Market indexes in Hong Kong accelerated the previous week's decline amid rising trade tensions with the European Union, policymakers' limited room for additional financial measures, and the persistent weakness in housing market.
Benchmark indexes in Tokyo trimmed weekly gains, but household spending unexpectedly declined in May after higher prices dented consumer appetite for non-discretionary items.
The Hang Seng index trimmed weekly gains, and the CSI 300 index extended weekly losses ahead of the Third Plenum next week. The European Union imposed additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
China stocks lacked direction, and investors shifted their focus to the upcoming earnings season. Property transactions showed strength in the large cities amid a wider malaise across the nation.
Tech and retail stocks supported the market advance for the fourth session in a row in Tokyo. Japan's service sector growth contracted for the first time in eight months, according to a private survey.
Steady buying from mainland investors bolstered the rise in tech stocks and the Hang Seng Index for the third day in a row. China's service sector growth dropped to an eight-month low.
Stock market indexes advanced for the third day in a row as the yen keeps declining to new multi-decade lows. Japan's first contraction was deeper than previously estimated.
China's automobile sales contracted in June by 2.9% to 1.91 million units, the first monthly decline since January. China's new home sales continue to plunge across the top 100 cities amid persistent market weakness, but top tier cities showed a slight rebound in transactions.
The Topix index traded at a new intra-day record high, but foreign investors stayed on the sidelines due to the slow progress in corporate governance. The sentiment among large manufacturers improved in the second quarter.
China's official manufacturing survey showed activities contracted for the second month in a row, but the private survey indicated rising activities driven by slowing but sustained export demand.
China indexes extended weekly and monthly losses and trimmed first-half gains after piecemeal economic reforms failed to revive consumer and investor confidence.
The yen drifted below the low last seen in 1986, prompting talks of market intervention but raising long term uncertainty. Currency traders are fearing that the yen may sink as low as 170 against the dollar.
China's industrial profit growth plunged in May, confirming the fragile and uneven economic recovery as policymakers struggle to find ways to revive economic growth.
