Investing.com - Asian shares gained on Monday in holiday-thinned trade with Greater China markets shut and the US markets slated to mark President's Day.
The Nikkei 225 rose 1.22%. Japan reported trade data for January with a deficit of ¥943 billion, narrower than the ¥1.0 trillion seen. Exports jumped 12.2%, beating the 10.3% gain expected and imports rose 7.9%, less than the 8.3% rise seen on year.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.50%. Santos rose 1.39%, Oil Search was up 2.96% and Beach Energy added 4.74%.
Markets in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, the US and Canada are shut on Monday. In the week ahead, investors will focus on minutes of the Fed’s latest policy meeting with hopes the central bank will give more hints on the pace of future rate hikes this year.
Last week. the Dow Jones industrial average closed 19.01 points higher at 25,219.38. The S&P 500 closed just 0.04% up at 2,732.22, eking out a six-day winning streak. The Nasdaq composite snapped a five-day winning streak, closing 0.2% lower at 7,239.47.