05:47 AM EST, 02/10/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were choppy Monday after soft inflation reports from Beijing, and following surprise statements from US President Donald Trump that higher tariffs on aluminum and steel imports are forthcoming.

Hong Kong and Shanghai finished in the green, while Tokyo was flat. Other regional exchanges were choppy.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 finished flat, as traders weighed positive futures on Wall Street amid commentary on Trump's plan to levy 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel imported to the US.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 14.15 to 38,801.17 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 119 to 105.

Leading the upside was video gamemaker DeNA, up 23.1% after reporting earnings. Construction enterprise Taisei declined 3.1%.

In economic news, the Japan Economy Watchers Survey for current conditions, a polling of the nation's cab drivers, hotel clerks, barkeeps and other front-line service workers, declined to 48.6 in January from 49.0 in December, reported the Cabinet Office. Readings above 50 suggest optimism, while below indicates pessimism.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and rose to the close, finishing up 1.8% after soft inflation reports boosted the outlook for additional economic stimulus from Beijing.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 388.44 to 21,521.98, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 52 to 22. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 2.7% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 1.3%.

Leading the upside was Alibaba Health Information Technology, gaining 9.2%, while toolmaker Techtronic International fell 1.9%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.6 % to 3,322.17.

In economic news, China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.5% in January on year, while the producer price index (PPI) fell 2.3% in the same time period, reported the National Bureau of Statistics.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI was steady; the Taiwan TWSE declined 1%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.3%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.4%, and the Thai Set declined 0.9%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.7%.