Chinese shares ended in mixed territory, with gains in auto and bank stocks, and losses among energy and semiconductor sectors. The start of the Beijing Auto Show has automakers and associated stocks in focus. Great Wall Motor added 7.4% after posting a more than ten-fold rise in 1Q net profit. Bank of Chengdu and Bank of Jiangsu rose 4% and 3.5%, respectively. Among the decliners were China Zhenhua and Ingenic Semiconductor, which both slid about 3.6%. Tianqi Lithium extended losses to a fifth session and shed 3.5% as regulators requested a detailed report on its forecast of a wider 1Q net loss. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.3% to 3052.90; the Shenzhen Composite Index fell 0.2%; the ChiNext Price Index ended flat.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index erased early declines to end 0.5% higher at 17284.54, supported by property and consumer-related stocks. China Overseas Land & Investment rose 6.2%, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group added 4.8% and Longfor Group was up 3.7%. Among the decliners, Li Auto fell 3.1%, Meituan shed 1.8% and Tencent Holdings was down 1.3%. The Hang Seng Tech Index closed 0.5% lower at 3554.30. On investors' radar is the U.S. advance estimate of 1Q GDP data, which is due later in the day.
Japanese stocks ended lower, dragged by electronics, machinery and auto shares, amid uncertainty over tensions in the Middle East and caution ahead of the Bank of Japan's policy decision Friday. Panasonic Holdings lost 4.9%, Komatsu dropped 4.2% and Toyota Motor shed 3.3%. The Nikkei Stock Average fell 2.2% to 37628.48. The 10-year Japanese government bond yield rose half a basis point to 0.890%.
India's benchmark Sensex closed 0.7% higher at 74339.44, led by steel and bank stocks. Investors in Asia are waiting for the U.S. weekly jobless claims and pending home sales data due later today for clues on inflation and economic trends. Among advancers, Axis Bank rose 6.0%, State Bank of India gained 5.1% and JSW Steel was 2.55% higher. Among decliners, Hindustan Unilever shed 1.25%, Titan Co. was 1.05% lower and Bajaj Finance lost 0.5%.