06:39 AM EDT, 03/17/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were mixed on the high side Tuesday, as traders mulled Middle East hostilities and media reports on the possible re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which the bulk of the region's oil supply passes.

Hong Kong gained, Tokyo finished mixed, and Shanghai lost ground. Other regional exchanges largely finished higher.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened north on Wall Street cues but sagged in trading, finishing off flat as traders mulled the Persian Gulf turmoils and oil supplies.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 50.76 to 53,700.39, although gaining issues outnumbered losers 165 to 56.

Leading the upside was shipping line Kawasaki Kisen Kaishu, up 6.3%, while Furukawa Electric declined 6.7%.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher but lagged, closing up a scant 0.1% as traders watched oil rices.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 34.52 to 25,868.54 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 59 to 29. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 0.1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 1.5%.

Leading the upside was Geely Automobile, gaining 4.6%, while Contemporary Amperex Technology declined 3.3%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.9% to 4,049.91.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 1.6%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 1.5%; the Australian ASX 200 inclined 0.4%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 1.4%, and the Thai Set inclined 2.1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.8%.

The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index rose 0.3% on the day.

In other news, the Reserve Bank of Australia boosted its key interest rate to 4.10% from 3.85%, citing stubborn inflation and war-induced soaring fuel prices.

Bank Indonesia voted to maintain its key rate, the seven-day reverse repurchase rate, at 4.75%, the deposit facility interest rate at 3.75%, and the lending facility interest rate at 5.50%, in part citing a need to bolster the exchange rate of the rupiah, the nation's currency.