Asian stock markets mixed

Asia-Pacific stocks fell on Tuesday as investors awaited regional surveys of factory activity. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.28 percent as investors assessed the country’s Judo Bank composite purchasing managers’ index, which climbed to 49.2, below the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction. The Reserve Bank of Australia released the minutes of its February policy meeting, which reiterated comments by Governor Philip Lowe that more rate hikes are needed. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell as Japan’s PMI index fell to 47.4, while the Topix rose marginally. South Korea’s Kospi also rose 0.11 percent, while the Kosdaq added 0.31 percent. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index was 0.26 percent lower and the Hang Seng Tech index fell 1.1 percent. In mainland China, the Shenzhen Composite rose 0.23 percent and the Shanghai Composite rose 0.41 percent.