Japanese stocks dropped Thursday on machinery makers such as Fanuc after a report that February machinery orders declined, while real estate shares such as Mitsui Fudosan Co. extended losses from the previous session.
Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index drop 1.3 percent to 12,945.3 points. The Hang Seng rose 0.8 percent to 24,187.1, while the Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.7 percent to 3,471.7.
Electronics shares were battered by a sharp appreciation in the yen. The dollar fell as low as 100.73 yen, down from 102.04 in New York late Wednesday. Fanuc fell 6.2 percent. Casio dropped 3.5 percent. Elpida Memory lost 3.8 percent.
Japanese property companies extended their losses into a third day, partly on negative sentiment triggered by Credit Suisse's rating cuts for the sector. Sumitomo Realty & Development slid 3.4 percent. Mitsui Fudosan slipped 3.6 percent.
Elsewhere:
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index fell 1.3% to 5,446.40.
New Zealand's NZX 50 index lost 1% to 3,540.01.
Taiwan's Weighted index gained 1.9% to 8,829.40.
South Korea's Kospi finished 0.6% higher at 1,764.64, reversing early losses.
with files from other wire services
