Investing.com - Asian stocks held higher on Tuesday after Chinese trade data minimized risk concerns generated by a continuing slide in crude oil prices, while the dollar fell to a one-month low against the safe-haven yen.
China said December exports rose 9.9% in December in yuan terms, while imports fell 2.3% and the country posted a trade surplus of $49 billion.
The indicators provided relief as recent signs of weakness in the world's second largest economy has been central in worries over global growth.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.7% and the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.8%, though Australian shares were down 0.3%, highlighting still prevalent concerns about tumbling crude oil prices.
Japan's Nikkei 225 underperformed its Asian peers and shed 1.7% as investors returned after a three-day weekend.
Overnight, U.S. stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Oil & Gas, Technology and Financials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.54%, while the S&P 500 index declined 0.80%, and the NASDAQ Composite index declined 0.84%.