05:46 AM EST, 03/05/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were unevenly lower Tuesday after China's annual "Two Sessions" national government conference underway in Beijing did not send clear signals of pending economic stimulus for the regional economic colossus.

Hong Kong slipped, Shanghai edged ahead and Tokyo finished flat. Other regional exchanges were choppy to the downside.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower, wavered, and finished essentially flat as traders awaited fresh market catalysts.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 11.60 to 40,097.63, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 124 to 99.

Leading the upside was builder Obayashi, up 20.6% after disclosing a dividend increase, while video game-maker DeNA fell 4.6%.

In economic news, Tokyo's consumer price index in February rose 2.6% on year, up from a 1.6% gain in January, reported the Statistics Bureau. The city's core CPI, that strips out fresh food, rose 2.5% on year, as did the core-core index, which strips out fresh food and certain energy bills.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and declined to the close, finishing off 2.6% as traders eschewed property and tech issues.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 433.33 to 16,162.64, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 78 to four. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 4.3% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 2.4%.

Leading the upside was Xinyo Solar, up 1.9%, while JD Health International lost 8.1%.

In Hong Kong, investors were "worried about growth challenges in the world's second largest economy after China's annual parliamentary meeting unveiled only modest fiscal policy support measures," reported the South China Morning Post.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.3% to 3,047.79.

In economic news, the seasonally adjusted headline Caixin China service purchasing managers index edged down to 52.5 in February from 52.7 in January, though still logging above the 50-marker that separates growth from contraction, reported S&P Global.

On the other regional exchanges, the South Korean KOSPI fell 0.9%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 0.4%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.5%, and the Thai Set declined 0.3%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.2%.

In other news, the seasonally adjusted India services purchasing managers index registered 60.6 in February, still showing strength, but down from 61.8 in January, reported S&P Global.