• Japan's Nikkei share average touched a near three-week high on Monday with broader investor risk sentiment improving after centrist Emmanuel Macron took a step towards the French presidency after the weekend's voting.
The Nikkei ended Monday 1.4 percent higher at 18,875.88 after rising earlier to 18,910.33, its highest since April 5.
• China stocks tumbled more than 1 percent on Monday and looked set for their biggest loss of the year amid signs that Beijing would tolerate more market volatility as regulators clamp down on shadow banking and speculative trading.
The Shanghai Composite Index slumped 1.6 percent to 3,123.80 points by the lunch break, after posting its biggest weekly loss so far this year last week.
• Hong Kong stocks rose on Monday, as concerns eased over political risk from the French presidential election after the market's favoured candidate made it through the first round of the French election.
The Hang Seng index rose 0.4 percent, to 24,139.48, while the China Enterprises Index gained 0.6 percent, to 10,107.63 points.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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