Asia-Pacific markets rise as investors await key economic readings from the region

This is CNBC's live blog covering Asia-Pacific markets.

Asia-Pacific markets traded slightly higher on Monday as the region kick-started a data-heavy week, with investors focused on economic readings from several countries, including Japan, South Korea and China.

Over the weekend, China released its official purchasing managers' index reading for November. Manufacturing PMI came in at 50.3 — its highest level since April — beating the 50.2 expected by economists polled by Reuters. Manufacturing PMI came in at 50.1 in October.

China's non-manufacturing PMI slipped to 50.0 from 50.2 in the previous month, while composite PMI held steady at 50.8.

A reading higher than 50 shows expansion in activity, while below that shows contraction.

On Monday, manufacturing PMI readings from S&P Global will be released for economies throughout Asia, including the Caixin PMI survey for China.

Australia's retail sales rose 3.4% in October, its fastest year-on-year rise since May 2023.

Indonesia will disclose its inflation numbers for November later in the day.

South Korea's Kospi was trading close to the flatline, and the small-cap Kosdaq advanced 0.13%. Over the weekend, South Korea's preliminary trade data revealed exports grew at their slowest pace since September 2023.

Exports grew 1.4% year-on-year in November, missing expectations of a 2.8% growth from economists polled by Reuters and a sharp decline from the 4.6% rise in October.

However, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was marginally up, while the broad-based Topix was 0.68% higher.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.21%, while mainland China's CSI 300 was up 0.26%. The Hang Seng Mainland Properties Index advanced 0.5% after growth in China's new home prices accelerated in November.

Australia