05:46 AM EST, 11/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were choppy on Monday, as traders weighed central bank outlooks, values and a massive stock buyback plan from South Korea's largest company.

Samsung Electronics unveiled a $7.17 billion share repurchase plan, gaining 6% on the day, and lifting South Korea's KOSPI index by 2.2%.

Hong Kong also gained ground, while Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the red. Other regional exchanges were also uneven.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower and could not recover, finishing off 1.1% as traders weighed possibly higher interest rates from the Bank of Japan, and the potential trade and tariff policies of the pending Trump Administration in Washington.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 422.06 to 38,220.85, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 132 to 89.

Leading the upside was online medical services outfit M3, up 5.6%, while advertising/PR shop Dentsu declined 10%.

In economic news, Japan's industrial output in September rose 1.6% from August, but declined 2.6% on year, the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) reported on Friday.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and finished up 0.8%, snapping a six-trading-day losing streak as traders hunted for relative values.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 150.27 to 19,576.61 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 47 to 30. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 0.3% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 0.5%.

Leading the upside was Geely Automobile, gaining 4.4%, while home appliances maker Haier Smart Home declined 2.7%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to 3,323.85.

In other news, public companies listed in China with stock prices chronically trading below book values are required to develop and disclose plans to boost market values, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said on Friday.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 2.2%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 0.9%; the Australian ASX 200 inclined 0.2%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.3%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.7%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.3%.