06:34 AM EDT, 07/15/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets largely gained on Tuesday, after a spate of relatively strong economic releases from Beijing generally pointed to a steady growth, although the picture was marred by soft property values.

Hong Kong rallied, and Tokyo finished in the green, while Shanghai lagged. Other regional exchanges finished higher.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened evenly but rose to the close, finishing up 0.6% as a softer yen elevated export issues. Bank stocks gained on prospects for higher interest rates, and thus wider profits.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 218.40 to 39,678.02, although losing issues outnumbered gainers 136 to 86.

Leading the upside was Furukawa Electric, up 6.5%, while retailer Ryohin Keikaka declined 3.7%.

In economic news, yields on 10-year Japanese government bonds struck 1.58%, the highest level since 2008.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened evenly, but rallied and finished up 1.6% after the release of relatively strong economic reports from Beijing.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 386.80 to 24,590.12 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 58 to 26. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 2.8% on the day, although the Mainland Properties Index fell 0.9%.

Leading the upside was CSPC Pharmaceuticals, gaining 7.5%, while Xinyi Glass declined 4.4%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.5% to 3,505.00.

In economic news, China's Q2 gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 5.2% on year, reported the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The nation's retail sales rose 4.8% on year in June, while industrial output inclined by 6.8% on year in the month, added the NBS.

However, in June, new homes sale prices fell 3.2% on year in the China's largest 70 cities, reported the NBS.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 0.4%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 1%; the Australian ASX 200 inclined 0.7%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.3%, and the Thai Set inclined 1.6%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.4%.