Asia markets mixed; Australian and Hong Kong markets closed for holiday

The Nikkei 225 in Japan slipped 0.2 percent in early trade, as shares of index heavyweights Softbank Group and Fanuc declined around 1 percent each. The Topix index also shed 0.33 percent.

Over in South Korea, the Kospi gained 0.14 percent as industry heavyweight Samsung Electronics saw its stock rise 0.88 percent.

Former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn is expected to be indicted on an additional charge of aggravated breach of trust as early as Monday when his current detention period expires, Reuters reported citing Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

Ghosn was arrested for the fourth time this month on suspicion he tried to enrich himself at Nissan’s expense, to the tune of $5 million. He is also awaiting trial on other charges of financial misconduct and aggravated breach of trust.

Shares of Nissan advanced more than 0.3 percent in early trade.

Stocks stateside last week closed higher on the back of better-than-expected retail sales data and corporate earnings.

Retail sales in the U.S. rose by 1.6 percent last month, the strongest gain since September 2017. Economists polled by Refinitiv expected a gain of 0.9 percent.

Meanwhile, Libya’s capital Tripoli was hit by a series of air strikes and explosions over the weekend.

The country, a major exporter in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has been torn by conflict since the fall of dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. It was sent into fresh conflict in recent weeks after its eastern military leader ordered his forces to move in on the capital where the United Nations-recognized government sits.

Oil prices advanced in the morning of Asian trading hours, with the international benchmark Brent crude futures contract adding 0.72 percent to $72.49 per barrel. U.S. crude futures also gained 0.80 percent to $64.51 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 97.369 after touching lows below 96.9 last week.

The Japanese yen traded at 111.91 after touching lows above 112.0 in the previous week, while the Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7146 after seeing highs around the $0.720 last week.

— Reuters contributed to this report.