Asian shares ended mostly lower Thursday, with investors locking in profits ahead of U.S. jobs data due out later in the day.
Japan's Nikkei 225 index lost 63.78 points, or 0.6%, to end the day to 9,876.15
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index faded 200.68 points, or 1.1% to 18,178.08, as trading resumed after Wednesday's holiday.
Most regional markets opened strongly during the session, buoyed by strong manufacturing data Wednesday from China and the U.S. But by late afternoon, some of them turned negative, tracking a retreat in U.S. stock futures and a weak opening for European markets.
Financial and property stocks led the decline, with HSBC Holdings shrinking 2.6% and Cheung Kong (Holdings) falling 2.1% in Hong Kong. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group gave up 1% and Mitsui Fudosan dropped 2.4% in Tokyo.
In Singapore afternoon trading, DBS Group Holdings lost 2.5% and CapitaLand slid 2.7%.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia gave up 1.8% in Sydney and KB Financial Group slipped 0.8% in Seoul,
In Taipei, technology shares were among the big gainers, with Nanya Technology Corp. gaining 6.9% and Inotera Memories jumping 7%.
In Japan, Hitachi jumped 3%, boosted by a Nikkei report that it plans to spend between 20 billion yen and 30 billion yen ($208 million U.S. to $313 million U.S.) to boost production capacity for lithium-ion batteries for hybrid cars, targeting a 70-fold increase by 2015.
In Seoul, Kia Motors ended up 2% after reporting a strong increase in June domestic sales and U.S. market share.
In foreign-exchange markets, the euro was weakening against the yen ahead of the European Central Bank's decision on interest rates.
The euro was at $1.4094 U.S. compared with $1.4147 in late New York trade and at 136.25 yen against 136.76 yen. The dollar was at 96.65 yen compared with 96.67 yen. Spot gold was at $936.20 U.S. a troy ounce, down $4.10 from the New York close.
CHINA
North American stock futures were recently quoted lower in screen trade. Still, hopes of a recovery were supporting some stocks, lifting shares of China Shenhua Energy 4.3% and China Construction Bank 2.6% in Shanghai.
In Australia, a report that China had backed down on iron-ore price negotiations helped mining stocks, with BHP Billiton rising 1.2% and Rio Tinto adding 0.3%. The China Iron & Steel Association had climbed down from its tough position on iron-ore price cuts, with signs of a compromise emerging Wednesday, the Australian firm reported on its Website, citing industry sources.
Elsewhere:
China’s Shanghai Composite Index picked up 44.46 points, or 1.4% to 3,282.36
Singapore’s Straits Times Index slipped 31.73 points, or 1.4%, to 2,320.82
South Korea’s Kospi index settled back 0.18 points, or 0.01%, to 1,411.48
Taiwan’s Taiex gained 88.56 points, or 1.4%, to 6,667.53
New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index stumbled 12.18 points, or 0.4%, to 2,768.18
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 3.30 points, or 0.1%, to 3,877.30
