Asian stock markets are trading lower on Monday as increased geopolitical risks prompted investors to favour safe-haven bets such as government debt while the US dollar benefited from comments from a US central banker.

China's benchmark index, Shanghai Composite lost 10.18 points or 0.31 percent to trade at 3,276.43. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 4.06 points or 0.02 percent to trade at 24,263.24. Singapore's Straits Times 0.01 points or 0 percent to trade at 3,177.28.

South Korea's KOSPI fell 16.53 points or 0.77 percent to trade at 2,135.20. Taiwan's TAIEX fell 6.94 points or 0.07 percent to trade at 9,866.43.

On the other hand, Japan's benchmark index, Nikkei 225 gained 134.17 points or 0.72 percent to trade at 18,798.80.