Asian stocks traded mixed on the first trading day of the year.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng slid 0.64% at 7:29 am CET. An exchange notice said that trading in the shares and structured products of indebted Chinese property developer Evergrande was halted without disclosing a reason for the halt.

South Korea's Kospi closed 0.38% higher. Meanwhile, markets in mainland China, Japan and Australia were closed for the New Year's holidays.

The dollar gained 0.23% against the yen to sell for 115.3575 at 7:30 am CET.