Japanese shares slipped Tuesday during a holiday-shortened trading week, with investors reducing positions in Honda Motor Co. and other export-related companies after disappointing data on U.S. consumer spending and concerns Japanese corporate profit growth may slow this financial year.
In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed at 17,274.98 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Tuesday, down 125.43 points, or 0.72 percent while in Hong Kong, the blue chip Hang Seng Index fell 207.52 points to 20,318.98 points.
Among export-related shares, Honda fell 1.5%, while Toyota Motor Corp. eased 0.7% and Sony Corp. fell 1.6%.
Gainers included Mazda Motor Corp, shares of which rallied 4.6% after the company reported Friday a 24% rise in net profit for the January to March quarter, helped by brisk sales of its new sport-utility vehicle and subcompact cars in North America.
NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan's largest cellular operator by subscribers, rose 2% after the company reported weaker fiscal fourth-quarter net profit but raised its annual dividend by 800 yen ($6.70) to 4,800 yen.
Elsewere:
In Sydney, shares dipped following Wall Street's decline and mixed commodity prices on Monday. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index fell 20.2 points, or 0.3 percent, to 6,145.8, while the All Ordinaries index dropped 18.1 points to 6,140.2.
In New Zealand, stocks were lower in relatively quiet trading as traders awaited upcoming corporate earnings for direction. The benchmark NZX-50 index slipped 2.97 points or 0.1 percent to 4,191.66.
Financial markets in mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand were closed for Labor Day or other national holidays.
With files from wire services
