* Last week's earnings a mixed bag; market broadly steady

* Sony sounds warning on consumption

* Lack of clarity on global growth and rates weighs

SINGAPORE, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average and the broader Topix eked out minor gains on Monday, although mixed corporate earnings and uncertainty over global growth and interest rates kept many investors to the sidelines.

The Nikkei rose 0.5% in morning trade and the Topix climbed 0.6%. The indexes marked their best months since late 2020 in July and with year-to-date losses of about 3% or less, both easily so far outperformed world equities' 15% drop.

Purchasing Managers' Index reports are due around the world this week and figures in Japan and China were soft, with Japan's manufacturing activity in July expanding at the weakest rate in 10 months.

Disappointing results at Sony, with its shares dropping 5.6%, and surging materials' costs at electronics firms Fujitsu and Alps Alpine also took the shine off the market.

Fujitsu shares fell 7.4% and Alps Alpine slumped 13.4% as shortages in parts and materials and high logistics costs took a bite from earnings. Sony on Friday cut its profit forecast, citing waning consumer interest.

A lack of clarity on the U.S. outlook is holding back market gains, said Kazuo Kamitani, a strategist at Nomura Securities in Tokyo, and is likely to leave the Nikkei relatively steady.

"If the Nikkei can stay above the 200-day moving average at 27,529, the focus will be whether it will break above the 28,200 level reached on June 9," he said. It was at 27,933 at the lunch break.

Sumitomo Pharma led the gains in Nikkei, jumping nearly 10% from its closing low in more than a month, following the drugmaker's quarterly profit after market close on Friday.

Shares in Ajinomoto, maker of the popular MSG umami seasoning, rose 5.6% after profit beat estimates. Nomura raised its target price for building materials' firm TOTO after its quarterly results. Shares of TOTO rose 6.7%.

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook in Singapore and Kevin Buckland in Tokyo; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)