• China's Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers' index for December fell to 50.5, missing economists' forecast of 51.7 in a Reuters poll.
• Singapore's annual economic growth in 2024 accelerated to 4%, compared with 1.1% in 2023, according to official data released Thursday.

Asian stocks traded mixed Thursday, with China stocks leading losses as several major markets resumed trading after New Year's Day holiday.

China's Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers' index for December fell to 50.5, missing economists' forecast of 51.7 in a Reuters poll. PMI came in at 51.5 in November and 50.3 in October.

The fall in the PMI figure indicates the "pace of growth [had] eased since November and was marginal overall," the report said.

"Exports dragged on demand amid mounting uncertainties stemming from the overseas economic environment and global trade," said Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group.

The official PMI for December, released Tuesday, came in at 50.1 and missed expectations.

Mainland China's benchmark CSI 300 dipped over 3% lower before narrowing the losses to 2.91%, ending at 3,820.39. The broad market slump on its first trading day in 2025 came despite President Xi Jinping's vow during his New Year address on Tuesday evening to implement more proactive policies to support economic growth.

The offshore yuan strengthened by 0.14% to trade at 7.3224 against the dollar, regaining some ground after notching its weakest level since 2022 October on Tuesday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index lost 2.37% in the final hour of trade. Shares of Sun Art Retail Group plunged over 23%, a day after Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group announced to sell its majority stake in the hypermarket chain. Alibaba was down over 1%.

South Korea's Kospi index inched lower to close at 2,398.94 while the Kosdaq added 1.24% to 686.63. The markets opened one hour later than usual, due to an opening ceremony for the new year.

Rhee Chang-yong, the country's central bank governor, said in a New Year's speech released Thursday that monetary policy will be "managed with flexibility and agility" given the "unprecedented rise in political and economic uncertainties.

The Bank of Korea, which has delivered back-to-back rate cuts — a first since 2009 — is set to to announce its next interest rate decision later this month.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.52% to finish at 8,201.2. Markets in Japan will remain closed for the rest of this week.

Traders in Asia also assessed Singapore's gross domestic product data. Based on advance estimates, the economy expanded by 4.3% year on year in the fourth quarter of 2024, slower than the 5.4% growth in the previous quarter.

The advance GDP estimates are compiled based mostly on data in the first two months of the quarter and are subject to revision when more data become available, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The annual economic growth in 2024 accelerated to 4%, compared with 1.1% in 2023, according to official data released Thursday.

U.S. stock futures were little changed as traders geared up for a fresh year, after all three major indexes logged double-digit annual gains in 2024.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were little changed, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.06%, Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.17%.

The S&P 500 recorded an annual gain of over 20% for a second straight year, jumping 23.31% last year, building on a gain of 24.2% in 2023. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 12.88% while the Nasdaq was up by 28.64%.

—CNBC's Christina Cheddar Berk contributed to this report.