Asian Equities Mixed Ahead Of UK & US Markets Returning

Asia markets are mixed today, it has been a slow start to the session with the US and UK out on Monday. Australian Retail sales were below estimates, while Japan April PPI Services was higher than estimates. Investors will be closely following the BoJ-IMES conference when Fed's Mester & Bowman and ECB's Schnabel Speak.

• Japanese equities are mixed today, the yen is a touch stronger at 156.78. Earlier we had PPI Services was 2.8% vs 2.3% est, there is little else in the way of economic data today, focus will turn to the BoJ-IMES Conference. The Topix is down 0.06%, while the Nikkei 225 is down 0.25%
• Taiwan equities are slightly higher today, while Taiwan was the only market in the region to see inflows on Monday. This week focus will be on GDP data due out on Thursday. The Taiex continues to make new all time highs, and is up 0.41% today.
• South Korean equities are higher today. We just had store sales data out with department store sales were -2% y/y in Apr, vs a 8.9% rise in March, discount store sales were -6.7% y/y in April, vs a 6.2% rise in March, while retail sales were 10.8% y/y vs 10.9% in March. Equity flows continue to slow, with just $143m of inflows over the past 5 sessions. The Kospi is 0.14% higher today and now trades back above all major moving averages.
• Australian equities are lower today, earlier Retail sales missed estimates coming in at 0.1% vs 0.2% est. Financials and Health care stocks are the worst performing, offsetting gains made in Materials, with the ASX200 down 0.20%
• Elsewhere in SEA, New Zealand equities are down 0.35%, Singapore equities are 0.31% higher, Malaysian equities are up 0.05%, Indonesian equities are 1.15% higher, while the Philippines PSEi is down 0.60%