- Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday ahead of economic data due from China including fourth-quarter GDP figures.
- Economists expect data out of Beijing on Monday to underline slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy, in part due to factors like China’s strict measures to contain the omicron Covid variant as well as problems in its property sector and sluggish consumption.
- Last week, U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs slashed its 2022 forecast for China economic growth from 4.8% to 4.3%.
SINGAPORE — Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday ahead of economic data due from China including fourth-quarter GDP figures.
The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.79% in early trade while the Topix index added 0.57%.
Australian shares also eked out gains as the ASX 200 was up 0.11%. The heavily-weighted financials subindex gained 0.33% and the energy sector was up 1.15%.
South Korean shares, however, faltered as the Kospi…
