Stock market today: Asian shares mostly higher as investors await US inflation, China economic data

Stock prices were mostly higher in Asia on Monday as investors awaited U.S. inflation figures and China’s latest economic data.

Benchmarks fell in Hong Kong and Tokyo but rose in Shanghai, Sydney and Seoul.

A surge in oil prices has added to worries that inflation may not be waning as hoped in the U.S and other major economies. That could lead the Federal Reserve and other central banks to keep interest rates higher for longer, which would hurt prices for shares and other investments.

Over the weekend, China reported a slight increase in its own inflation data, suggesting deflationary pressures seen as a sign of weakness in its slowing economy might be easing. The government is due to report industrial output for August later in the week.