Hong Kong stocks skidded Monday, reacting after comments by China's premier raised concerns that a plan to allow Chinese investors to buy Hong Kong stocks could be delayed.
The Nikkei 225 average fell 248.6 points to finish at 16,268.9 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. That is its lowest close since Sept. 14. The broader Topix index of all the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section issues shed 1.6 percent to 1,575.1.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index tumbled 1,526.02 points, or 5 percent, to close at 28,942.32. Meanwhile, the 43-issue Hang Seng China Enterprises Index slumped 6.4% to 18,291.20.
Shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial dropped 3.3 percent and Mizuho Financial Group lost 3 percent.
Shares of Kookmin Bank gave up 4 percent in Seoul, while United Overseas Bank declined 2.4 percent in Singapore. Shares of Commonwealth Bank of Australia sank 1.8 percent and National Australia Bank dropped 1.4 percent in Sydney, while HSBC Holdings fell 1.6 percent in Hong Kong.
ELSEWHERE:
BANGKOK: Thailand's main stock index fell 2.4 percent to 872.9 on heavy selling of energy blue chips in the afternoon session.
JAKARTA: Indonesia's main index fell to 2,652.5, down 2.1 percent from Friday's close, after hitting an all-time intraday high of 2,727.9.
MANILA: The Philippine Stock Exchange Index advanced 0.4 percent to 3,774.8 after a four-day holiday.
MUMBAI: The Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex index lost 1.9 percent to end at 19,591 points.
SEOUL: The Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 0.2 percent to close at 2,015.8.
SINGAPORE: Singapore shares fell as investors took cues from Hong Kong. The Straits Times Index dropped 1.2 percent to 3,670.2.
TAIPEI: The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange rose 0.4 percent to 9,308.6.
SYDNEY: The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index lost 1.7 percent to 6,582.3.
with files from other wire services
