SINGAPORE — Stocks in Asia-Pacific were mixed in Wednesday trade, as a private survey showed slowing services sector activity in China last month.
Mainland Chinese stocks were mixed in morning trade as the Shanghai composite gained about 0.64% while the Shenzhen component dipped 0.174%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 1.21%.
The Caixin/Markit services Purchasing Managers' Index came in at 51.5 for February, a decline from January's reading of 52. PMI readings above 50 represent expansion while those below that level signify contraction. PMI readings are sequential and show on-month expansion or contraction.
Elsewhere, the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia edged about 0.6% higher.
Australia's gross domestic product rose 3.1% in seasonally adjusted chain volumes terms in the December quarter, according to figures released by the country's Bureau of Statistics. That figure beat expectations for a 2.5% rise by economists in a Reuters poll and followed a 3.4% growth in the third quarter.
In Japan, both the Nikkei 225 was 0.28% higher and the Topix index was up 0.22%. South Korea's Kospi hovered fractionally higher.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan traded 0.49% higher.
Wall Street overnight
Overnight stateside, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 143.99 points to close at 31,391.52. The S&P 500 slipped 0.81% to finish its trading day at 3,870.29 while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.69% to close at 13,358.79.
In coronavirus developments, U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday the country will have a large enough supply of coronavirus vaccines to inoculate every adult in the nation by the end of May — two months earlier than previously expected.
Currencies and oil
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 90.81 — off levels above 91 seen earlier in the week.
The Japanese yen traded at 106.81 per dollar, still weaker than levels below 105.7 against the greenback seen last week. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.783, following levels around $0.774 seen yesterday.
Oil prices nudged higher in the morning of Asia trading hours on Wednesday, with international benchmark Brent crude futures up 0.22% to $62.84 per barrel. U.S. crude futures rose fractionally to $59.78 per barrel.
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— CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.
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