06:46 AM EDT, 07/21/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were unevenly higher on Monday, as investors watched Wall Street for cues, and Beijing for signs of fresh macroeconomic policies.

Mainland China's central bank left rates unchanged, a sign Beijing anticipates an adequate economic expansion in summer months.

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

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and held ground, finishing up 0.6% as traders awaited reports of macroeconomic adjustments from Beijing, and weighed possible easing of China-US trade tensions.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 168.48 to 24,994.14, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 58 to 24. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 0.8% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 1.2%.

Leading the upside was China Petroleum & Chemical, gaining 1.7%, while New Oriental and Education Technology declined 3.1%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.7% to 3,559.79.

In economic news, the People's Bank of China kept key interest rates unchanged, leaving the one-year loan prime rate at 3.0% and the five-year rate loan prime rate, a peg for property mortgages, at 3.5%, reported the central bank.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 0.7%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 0.2%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.4%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.5%