06:44 AM EDT, 05/13/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets tracked unevenly higher Tuesday, as traders digested possibly improving China-US trade relations, and awaited earnings season reports.

Tokyo finished in the green, Shanghai edged north, while Hong Kong sagged. Other regional exchanges were also uneven.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher on Wall Street cues and held ground, finishing up 1.4% after China and US on Monday announced mutual reductions in tariffs applied on each other's imports.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 539.00 to 38,183.26, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 145 to 80.

Leading the upside was Furukawa Electric, up 13.8%, while electronics-house Sharp declined 13.8%, with both moves following earnings releases.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened evenly but declined through the day, closing down 1.9% as traders locked in profits after Monday's 3% gain.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 441.19 to 23,108.27, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 61 to 16. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 3.3% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 0.8%.

Leading the upside was Orient Overseas International, gaining 2.9%, while smartphone components maker Sunny Optical Technology declined 7.6%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.2% to 3,374.87.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI was flat; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 1%; the Australian ASX 200 inclined 0.4%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.1%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.3%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 1.6%.