Asian stocks fell, as tensions mounted over Ukraine and casino shares slumped.
The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo recovered 72.58 points, or 0.5%, to 15,232.37, ending a five-session skid
The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong sank 196.57 points, or 0.8%, to 24,387.56
DeNA Co., a mobile game and social-media service, plunged 7.1% in Tokyo after predicting a decline in first-half profit. Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. dropped 6.4%, pacing losses among Macau casino operators, after the world’s largest gambling hub posted the weakest monthly growth in mass market revenues since at least 2010.
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Japan’s largest real-estate company, fell 1.3% after reporting lower quarterly net income.
The 126.6-trillion-yen ($1.2-trillion U.S) Government Pension Investment Fund plans to increase its target for Japanese equities to more than 20% from the current 12%, Reuters reported, citing unidentified government and ruling-party officials. Analysts and investors had expected an increase to 20%.
Prada SpA fell 1.3% in Hong Kong. The Milan-based luxury handbag maker posted the slowest half-yearly sales growth in three years as demand weakens in some Asian countries and in Europe amid economic and political uncertainties. Prada’s revenue climbed 1% to 1.75 billion euros ($2.34 billion U.S.) in the six months through July, the company said in a statement to Hong Kong’s stock exchange yesterday.
Tencent Holdings Ltd., Asia’s largest Internet company, slumped 3.5%, the biggest decline since May 7, after saying its instant messaging application will crack down on rumours and fraud.
Russia will ban billions of dollars of food imports from the U.S. and other nations in retaliation for sanctions imposed over the turmoil in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday ordered restrictions on imports for one year from countries that have imposed or supported sanctions against Russia, according to the Kremlin website.
Australia’s jobless rate rose to 6.4% in July, a 12-year high, the statistics bureau said in Sydney today. That compares with the median 6% estimate in a survey of 24 economists.
CHINA
The Shanghai CSI 300 index fell 35.76 points, or 1.5%, to 2,327.46
China releases July trade data tomorrow, with export growth forecast to have decelerated to 7% as imports expanded 2.6%, down from 5.5% in June, according to a survey of economists.
In other markets;
In Singapore, the Straits Times STI Index slid 6.01 points, or 0.2%, to 3,314.22
In Korea, the Kospi index was down 6.01 points, or 0.2%, to 2,054.41
The Taiex Index in Taiwan moved backward 12.53 points, or 0.1%, to 9,131.44
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 recovered 5.28 points, or 0.1%, to 5,097.51
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 settled 2.99 points, or 0.1%, to 5,509.01
