Asian markets were mixed Thursday, with Sydney and Hong Kong sharply lower on resource issues such as BHP Billiton and Zijin Mining Group Co. after commodity prices pulled back, while Shanghai-listed shares rebounded from hefty losses on the back of airlines.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 3.5 percent at 21,108.20, after dropping as much as 4.4 percent in morning trading.
In Hong Kong, shares of Aluminum Corp. of China gave up 7%, PetroChina Co. sank 6.8% and gold miner Zijin Mining's stock plummeted 14%.
But trading was subdued without the lead of Asia's largest bourse in Tokyo due to a national holiday in Japan. Financial markets were also closed in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Philippines.
In mainland China, the recovery was more dramatic, The Shanghai Composite Index closed 1.1 percent higher at 3,804.10 after having plunged 6.5 percent in morning trade to hit its lowest level since June.
Elsewhere:
Singapore's Straits Times Index dropped 0.9% to 2,807.26.
Thailand's SET index fell 1.2% to 798.21 in afternoon trading.
Taiwan's Weighted index gained 1.9% at 8,337.62, on hopes of better ties with China after the country elects a new president Saturday.
South Korea's Kospi inched up 0.1% to 1,623.39, with both rebounding from early losses.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 skidded 3.1% to end at 5,127.50, after it jumped as much as 4% in the previous session.
with files from other wire services
