Shanghai-listed finished lower Tuesday, a day after a devastating earthquake struck China, killing nearly 12,000 people and causing widespread damage by disrupting communications and transportation links.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.8 percent to 3,560.24, after dropping as much as 3.3 percent in early trade.
Among major decliners, property leader China Vanke fell 1.9 percent to 21.13 yuan and Shanghai market heavyweight PetroChina fell 2.6 percent to 17.39.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange suspended trading in 45 companies, most of them based in central China's Sichuan province, where authorities said the quake had killed more than 12,000 people.
The blue-chip Hang Seng Index rose 489.60 points, or 2 percent, to 25,552.77. China Construction Bank rose 4.9 percent, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China was up 3.2 percent and Bank of China rose 2.8 percent.
In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 210.37 points, or 1.5 percent, to 13,953.73.
Shares in bulldozer and other heavy equipment makers advanced on expectations of higher demand due to the cleanup and rebuilding from the Chinese quake. Machinery company Komatsu Ltd. rose 3.9 percent, while Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. jumped 5.2 percent.
Elsewhere:
South Korea's Kospi rose 1.05 percent to 1,842.80.
India's Sensex index slid 0.6 percent to 16,752.86.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index dipped 15.8 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5812.7.
New Zealand's NZX 50 index climbed 0.4% to 3,653.31.
Taiwan's Weighted index rose 1.8% to 8,989.53,.
Singapore's Straits Times Index advanced 0.6% to 3,200.16.
with files from other wire services
