Asia stocks under pressure on trade worries, Nikkei dips below ¥22,400

• Unconvincing trade talks between the US and China fail to relieve Asia equity pressure over potential trade war.
• Nikkei index starts the new week falling almost half a percent.

Asia equities are grumbly to kick off the new week, facing increased pressure from the US-China trade spat. Japan's Nikkei index is off 0.4% on the day, with the broader Asia non-Japan index mostly flat at 0.02%.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng started Monday off with a 0.7% upswing, but quickly reversed to show a 0.4% loss for the new week. 

Investors continue to grow uneasy about the US-China trade spat, and fears of an all-out trade war continue to hamper risk appetite in the broad Asia sector, despite strong gains last Friday in the US equities sector.

Asia markets continue to feel pressure after the two-day US-China trade talks last week wrapped up with little accomplished, and the two participants' promises to keep negotiating are doing little to keep investors fears assuaged.

Nikkei levels to watch

Nikkei's rally from March's low at 20,320.00 is facing stiff resistance from February's high at 22,510.00, and a possible bearish correction could fall into the 50.0 Fibo level at 21,500.00, while bulls will be looking to push the equity index back into January's range near 23,800.00.