[MARKET ANALYSIS] Asia-Pac stocks trade mixed following the lacklustre Wall St handover and ongoing geopolitical situation

APAC Stocks: Mixed

• Asia-Pac trade mixed following the subdued handover from the US, where most major indices declined as oil prices and yields climbed amid the ongoing geopolitical backdrop, although the Nasdaq showed some resilience amid a bounce in tech and telecommunications.

ASX 200: -0.1%

• Lacks firm direction with price action contained within relatively tight parameters in the absence of notable data or key macro drivers.

Nikkei 225: +2.2%

• Rallied on return from the long weekend as participants bargain-hunt following last Friday's sharp drop.

KOSPI +3.8%

• Shrugged off earlier indecision and rallied amid a tech rebound, with notable strength seen in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares.

Hang Seng & Shanghai Comp: Hang Seng -0.4% / Shanghai Comp +0.4%

• Chinese markets are mixed with price action range-bound as they take a breather after rallying yesterday amid stimulus hopes and China’s “national team” of funds buying close to USD 9bln in equities.

US Equity Futures: Positive

• Rebounded off the prior day's troughs with participants now looking ahead to a pickup in earnings season.

European Equity Futures -0.3%

• Indicate a marginally lower cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures down 0.3% after the cash market closed with losses of 0.1% on Monday.