Markets in Japan finally lost ground Tuesday, as the yen slipped to its weakest in more than a decade against the U.S. dollar.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index dipped 26.68 points, or 0.1%, to 20,543.19, finally ending its win streak at 12 straight session.
The yen hit 125 to the U.S. dollar for the first time since 2002 after an encouraging reading on U.S. manufacturing activity in May increased the likelihood that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index erased 130.44, or 0.5%, to 27,466.72.
The latest reading on Chinese manufacturing presented a mixed picture in May with the official gauge recording modest gains and a private index pointing to continued sluggishness.
Elsewhere, Australian markets were down sharply ahead of a central bank meeting on interest rates. The Reserve Bank of Australia is likely to leave rates at a record low of 2.0%, although many investors expect some easing bias to be included in the bank’s accompanying statement.
In other markets
The Shanghai CSI 300 gained 85.97 points, or 1.7%, to 5,162.33
In Korea, the Kospi index dropped 23.73 points, or 1.1%, to 2,078.64
In Taiwan, the Taiex subtracted 11.43 points, or 0.1%, to 9,614.26
In Singapore, the Straits Times STI returned from a long weekend to lose 51.36 points, or 1.5%, to 3,340.75
Markets in New Zealand also returned from holiday, as the NZX 50 picked up 18.79 points, or 0.3%, to 5,863.74
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 plummeted 99.39 points, or 1.7%, to 5,636.01
