Stock markets held below last month's record highs on Monday, while the Chinese yuan and oil prices weakened as China's broad economic stimulus promises made over the weekend failed to inspire investors across the globe.

Meanwhile, one expert suggested that investors are misunderstanding China's intent in providing the stimulus boosts. According to Arthur Kroeber, founding partner of Gavekal Dragonomics, Beijing's intent isn't to accelerate the economy by enabling consumers, but simply to stabilize it.

Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed on Monday as traders assess the data released on Sunday showed that consumer inflation in China slowed in September, while producer deflation persisted, and China’s fiscal stimulus plan announced over the weekend failed to inspire market confidence by leaving investors guessing on the size of the package.

Asian stocks hardly budged in early holiday-thinned trade on Monday, with investors nervous as to how markets in mainland China would react to government economic stimulus promises over the weekend which,