Asian markets trade mixed amid Middle East tensions, earnings outlook

Stocks across Asia were split on Monday as traders weighed a worsening Middle East situation and the risk of energy supply disruptions, Mettis Global reported. South Korea's Kospi slid 3.03 per cent in early trade, while the small-cap Kosdaq lost 0.67 per cent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.74 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.17 per cent, and mainland China's CSI 300 eased 0.15 per cent, with Japan closed for a public holiday.

US stock futures rose after the major Wall Street indexes posted weekly gains, helped by technology shares even as oil prices and bond yields stayed high. S&P 500 futures advanced 0.32 per cent, Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.41 per cent, and Dow futures were up 196 points, or 0.38 per cent. Oil prices eased in Asian trade after Trump unveiled an energy truce covering Russia and Ukraine over the weekend, yet Brent crude stayed above $104 per barrel.

Geopolitical worries grew after Trump said he was weighing joining Saudi Arabia against Houthi forces in Yemen, following a further fatal strike on Riyadh's international airport. Investors are also looking to third-quarter earnings, with FactSet's John Butters expecting S&P 500 earnings growth of 29.6 per cent, and US consumer and producer price data are due Wednesday and Thursday.