Asian stocks mostly up despite weak economic news from China

Asian shares traded in positive territory Tuesday as gains in commodity stocks helped offset weakness overnight in U.S. markets.

The Nikkei Stock Average NIK, +0.69% rose 0.2% with the S&P/ASX 200 XJO, +0.27% up 0.2% and Korea’s Kospi SEU, +0.62% up 0.3%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index HSI,-0.28% was down 0.1% while the Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, +0.65% was flat.

Traders sent U.S. oil prices up 2.9% to $43.02 a barrel following news that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries planned to hold informal talks in September that could lead to production cuts.