06:41 AM EDT, 04/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets churned on Monday as traders awaited clarity on international trade issues and weighed earnings season results.

Tokyo gained, Hong Kong was flat, and Shanghai edged lower. Other regional exchanges were also mixed.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher on Wall Street cues and held ground, finishing up 0.4% as traders harbored hopes of improved Tokyo-Washington trade relations.

The US is "very close" to a deal with Japan, US President Donald Trump said on Friday. The top Japanese tariff negotiator will visit Washington for a second round of talks this week, reported The Mainichi newspaper.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 134.25 to 35,839.99, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 150 to 74.

Leading the upside was Shin-Etsu Chemical, up 6.6%, while tapes and vinyl producer Nitto Denko declined 5.8%.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index finished largely unchanged as traders stayed on the sidelines despite a major Beijing press conference on the Chinese economy.

"During a joint briefing on Monday, multiple Chinese agencies, including the top planning bureau and the central bank, largely repeated vows by a decision-making body headed by President Xi Jinping last week. The officials said China has an ample policy toolbox to stabilize employment and the economy, and expressed 'full confidence' the country would achieve the target of about 5% economic growth this year," reported the South China Morning Post.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 8.78 to 21,971.96, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 38 to 37. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 0.1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 1.6%.

Leading the upside was Sinopharm, gaining 4.9%, while BYD Electronics International declined 8.5%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to 3,288.41.

In economic news, China's industrial enterprises in Q1 reported that profits rose a modest 0.8% from the same period a year earlier, but before the impact of Trump Administration tariffs on the nation's exports, the official National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Sunday.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 0.1%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 0.8%; the Australian ASX 200 advanced 0.4%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.3%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 1.3%.