Asian stocks fell, as material and energy companies slid.
The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo fell 7.50 points, or 0.1%, to end the week at 15,668.68.
The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong dropped 57.77 points, or 0.2%, to 25,240.15
Newcrest Mining Ltd. (NCM), Australia’s biggest gold producer, lost 3.2% after the price of bullion fell.
Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., the nation’s third-largest iron ore miner, sank 3.2% after a gauge of prices for the raw material in China dropped.
Oil explorer Inpex Corp. fell 1.9% in Tokyo as crude futures headed for the sixth weekly decline in seven weeks. Sekisui House Ltd. rose 2.2% after the homebuilder reported first-half net income increased.
KB Financial Group Inc. decreased 1.9% inSeoul after regulators issued a “disciplinary warning” to Lee Kun Ho, Chief Executive Officer of unit Kookmin Bank, and KB Financial Chairman Lim Young Rok over issues relating to changes in the bank’s computing system. Lee resigned yesterday.
China Hongqiao Group Ltd. tumbled 6.6% in Hong Kong after the aluminum-products maker said it plans to sell new shares to its controlling stockholder.
Artiza Networks Inc., which makes testing systems for phone networks, plunged 7.3% in Tokyo after projecting a slump in net income, capping a 25% decline on the week.
Among shares that gained, Sekisui House rose 2.2% in Tokyo after the homebuilder reported first-half net income increased to 42.2 billion yen ($401 million U.S.) from 34 billion yen a year ago.
In other markets;
The Shanghai CSI 300 index gained 23.04 points, or 1%, to 2,449.26
In Singapore, the Straits Times STI Index fell 4.61 points, or 0.1%, to 3,341.73
In Taiwan, the Taiex Index fell 20.95 points, or 0.2%, to 9,407.94
In Korea, the Kospi index slipped 6.85 points, or 0.3%, to 2,049.41
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 improved 25.32 points, or 0.5%, to 5,253.87
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 subtracted 32.57 points, or 0.6%, to 5,598.69
