Chinese shares fell on Tuesday, as Beijing scrambled once again to prop up a stock market whose wild gyrations have heightened fears about the financial stability of the world's second biggest economy.
Meanwhile, Japan's Nikkei share average edged down on Tuesday in volatile trade after crawling back from a more than two-week low hit earlier in the session as Chinese shares pared losses.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index let go of 21.21 points, or 0.1%, to 20,328.89
Hong Kong blue-chip stocks rose on Tuesday, bucking falls for mainland shares, on hopes for a stabilizing China market as Beijing hinted at further monetary easing.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index moved up 151.98, or 0.6%, to 24,503.94, its biggest gain since July 17.
China Resources Enterprise led gains in the blue chip index, surging 2.9%. It was followed by CNOOC Ltd and AIA, which were up 2.7%.
New China Life Insurance led the falls in the Chinese enterprises index, sliding 5.3%.
China Eastern Airlines' Hong Kong shares dropped 4.4% on dilution concerns after Delta Air Lines agreed to buy a 3.55% stake for $450 million U.S.
CHINA
In China, the CSI 300 deducted 7.66 points, or 0.2 %, to 3,811.43
After a plunge of more than 8% in major indexes on Monday, Chinese regulators said on Tuesday they were investigating share "dumping" incidents.
Earlier the China Securities and Regulatory Commission had said it was prepared to buy shares to stabilize the stock market, while the central bank injected cash into money markets and hinted at further monetary easing.
A highly volatile day - not unusual in China's unruly stock markets - had seen both indexes lurching between losses as deep as 5% and gains of more than 1%.
In other markets
Singapore’s Straits Times Index dipped 32.33 points, or 1%, to 3,281.09
In Taiwan, the Taiex index regained 25.81 points, or 0.3%, to 8,582.49
In Korea, the Kospi index nosed up 0.29 points to 2,039.10
The NZX 50 lost 23.68 points, or 0.4%, to 5,848.39
The ASX 200 Index slid 5.2 points, or 0.1%, to 5,584.69
