Asia Shares Brace for China Data, Euro Pressure

ASIAN MARKET - SYDNEY. Asian share markets were mostly softer on Monday ahead of a slew of Chinese economic news, while political uncertainty in Europe soured risk appetites and kept the euro on the defensive.

Analysts expect annual growth in China's retail sales picked up to 3.0% in May, from 2.3%, with some upside risk thanks to holidays that month. Industrial output is seen slowing a little to 6.0%, from 6.7%, with growth in urban investment steady.