06:57 AM EDT, 07/30/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets turned in a choppy Tuesday, as traders weighed pending central bank policy meetings, and Beijing macroeconomic stimulus plans.

Hong Kong and Shanghai lost ground, while Tokyo edged higher. Other regional exchanges were also mixed.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower but rose to the close, finishing up 0.1% as traders took positions ahead of the Wednesday Bank of Japan policy meeting and statement.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 57.32 to 38,525.95, although losing issues outnumbered gainers 123 to 100.

Leading the upside was machine-tool maker Okuma, up 3.9%, while heavy-equipment manufacturer Komatsu fell 4.8%.

In economic news, the official unemployment rate in Japan fell to 2.5% in July, down from 2.6% in June, reported the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Separately, there were 123 job openings in Japan in July for every 100 job hunters, essentially unchanged from June, reported the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and finished off 1.4%, as traders awaited signals to possibly pending mainland macroeconomic stimulus measures.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 235.43 to 17,002.91, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 76 to five. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 1.5% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 3%.

Leading the upside was Wuxi AppTec, gaining 4.3%, while Hang Lung Properties fell 11.7%, after reporting earnings.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.4% to 2,879.30.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI fell 1%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 0.3%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.5%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.1%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.1%.