With Russian forces on the back foot in Ukraine and worries over harsher US rate hikes receding, traders were in positive mood at the start of the week

Traders across the region responded positively to US and EU central banks’ determination to beat inflation and a weaker US dollar

China stocks bucked the regional trend as persistent Covid-19 outbreaks darkened the economic outlook for the world's No2 economy

Traders across the region were in downbeat mood with the US Federal Reserve and other central banks set to tighten rates again

The gloomy global outlook and Europe’s Russian gas crisis weighed on sentiment but there were hopes of more economic support from Beijing

Stocks across the region slipped lower after Russia shut a major gas pipeline to Europe sparking fears of recession

Nikkei marked its worst week in nearly three months but China’s markets were buoyed by stimulus hopes after new Covid lockdowns

The Nikkei plunged to a one-month low after a US order to stop sales of top AI chips to China while Covid outbreaks continue to blight the world’s No2 economy

Japan's benchmark Nikkei index hit a seven-month high on Friday while China and Hong Kong stocks were in retreat

Asian shares pushed higher on Thursday as investors bet on the pace of interest rate hikes slowing after data pointed to US inflation peaking

Investors were in nervous mood ahead of the release of July’s US consumer prices report on Wednesday

Tokyo and Hong Kong edged back on Tuesday, ending recent rallies ahead of Wednesday’s US consumer prices report for July