<div id="readability-page-1">The key market influence today is the closure of Chinese mainland markets and half days on ly in Hong Kong and Singapore (more detail below the screenshot).The calendar lists China house price data due today. These were published last week:<ul><li>China house prices continue their death spiral: January -3.1% y/y and -0.4% m/m</li></ul>Japanese economic growth data will be eyed. Fourth-quarter GDP is expected to have expanded by 0.4% from the previous quarter, lifting annual growth to 1.6%. Analysts see improvement coming from a recovery in construction activity as the drag from temporary safety rules eases, alongside firmer export performance supported by strong global demand for semiconductors.Trade figures for January point to ongoing momentum in chip exports. Favourable calendar effects and a low comparison base are also likely to flatter headline export growth rates.The boost from additional fiscal spending is projected to show up more clearly in the first quarter of 2026 rather than in the fourth quarter data. Meanwhile, any fallout from tensions between China and Japan is not expected to have had a meaningful impact on Q4 results.Overall, steady political conditions and resilient semiconductor demand are viewed as key supports for both manufacturing output and services activity.I posted all this last week, repeating now ICYMI:Lunar New Year (LNY) 2026 brings thin liquidity and China-offshore price discovery, with travel/consumption the key narrative.Summary:<ul><li>Lunar New Year 2026 (Year of the Horse) falls on Tuesday 17 Feb.</li><li>Mainland China markets are scheduled to be closed Feb 16–23, reopening Tue Feb 24.</li><li>Hong Kong has half-day trading on Mon Feb 16, is closed Feb 17–19, and reopens Fri Feb 20.</li><li>Singapore (SGX) has half-day trading on Mon Feb 16 and is closed Feb 17–18.</li><li>China is running an extended nine-day Spring Festival holiday (Feb 15–23) with officials expecting a record travel surge, supportive for consumption narratives, but liquidity will be thin.</li></ul>Lunar New Year 2026 lands on Tuesday 17 February and, as usual, it will reshape trading conditions across mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore, with liquidity effects often as important as the headlines.Onshore, China’s equity market enters its biggest scheduled trading interruption of the year.<ul><li>The Shenzhen Stock Exchange calendar shows the market closed from Monday 16 February through Monday 23 February, resuming Tuesday 24 February.</li><li>The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) will be closed for the 2026 Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) from Monday, February 16, 2026, to Monday 23 Feb 2026 (inclusive) Reopens: Tuesday 24 Feb 2026</li></ul>With A-shares shut, price discovery shifts offshore (CNH, H-shares, ADRs, commodities proxies), while onshore macro/credit headlines can “bottle up” and reprice quickly when domestic trading resumes.This year the macro overlay is the extended nine-day public holiday (Feb 15–23) and a policy push to encourage spending and travel, with officials projecting a record travel rush. That tends to support short-term themes in consumer, travel, catering, duty-free and tourism names, while also lifting scrutiny on high-frequency indicators (mobility, domestic flight bookings, hotel occupancy, box office, and retail receipts) as a real-time read on confidence.Hong Kong becomes the key regional venue for China beta during the A-share closure. HKEX lists half-day trading on Monday 16 February (Lunar New Year’s Eve) and full market holidays Tuesday 17 through Thursday 19 February, with normal trade resuming Friday 20 February. Expect thinner depth, wider spreads and a higher sensitivity to CN headlines.Singapore also sees disrupted liquidity. SGX notes half-day trading on 16 February, with the market closed 17–18 February. Regionally, the practical market impact is a short window where positioning gets lighter, volatility can be jumpy on small flows, and “reopen gaps” become a feature, especially if FX or commodities move sharply while China is closed.</div>

000001

513880

00HSI

513520

03153

The Chinese mainland markets are closed today, February 16, 2026, due to the Lunar New Year holiday, impacting trading in Hong Kong and Singapore, which have half-day sessions. Key economic data includes China's house prices, which fell 3.1% year-on-year in January. Japan's GDP is expected to grow by 0.4% in Q4, supported by construction recovery and strong semiconductor exports. The holiday is anticipated to boost consumption, but liquidity will be thin, affecting market dynamics and price discovery, particularly in Hong Kong and Singapore during this period.

Investinglive

SSE Index

Huaan MUFG N225 ETF(QDII)

Hang Seng Index

FTSE Straits Times Index

ChinaAMC Nomura N225 ETF(QDII)

CSOP NIKKEI225

Economic and event calendar in Asia Monday, February 16, 2026 - China markets closed today