Japanese stocks fell Thursday, as investors worried about disappointing corporate earnings and as they absorbed signs the U.S. Federal Reserve is sticking to its timing on an increase in interest rates.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index slipped 189.51 points, or 1.1%, to 17,606.22, marking its biggest daily drop in almost two weeks.
The yen weakened versus the U.S. dollar to ¥117.89, compared with ¥117.46 late Wednesday in New York, amid dollar-buying by Japanese importers to settle month-end accounts.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index moved lower 265.96 points, or 1.1%, to 24,595.85
Also weighing on the markets were some disappointing corporate earnings results.
Nintendo Co. sank 8.7%, despite reporting a net-profit gain for the April-December period, as the game-console maker cut its operating-profit outlook.
Maker of construction and mining equipment Komatsu Ltd. slid 8.5%, with its chief executive officer expecting its Chinese sales to remain weak, according to Bloomberg News.
Camera maker Canon Inc. lost 5.1%, with analysts and reports saying its quarterly profit increase was mostly helped by a weaker yen.
Skymark Airlines Inc. plunged 25.2%, after the discount carrier filed for bankruptcy protection.
CHINA
Elsewhere, Chinese stocks also headed lower, after its securities regulator announced Wednesday night that it soon would launch a second round of its crackdown on margin-trading practices.
The Shanghai CS300 index doffed 43.53 points, or 1.2%, to 3,481.80
In other markets;
The Kospi in Korea sank 10.56 points, or 0.5%, to 1,951.02
In Taiwan, the Taiex index fell 84.02 points, or 0.9%, to 9,426.90
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index dipped 0.10 points to 3,419.05
New Zealand’s NZX 50 index fell 35.01 points, or 0.6%, to 5,759.81
The S&P/ASX index improved 16.70 points, or 0.3%, to 5,569.49.
