Asian defense stocks snapped a two-day winning streak amid mixed trading in the region, as investors continued to assess geopolitical risks after the U.S. attack on Venezuela and renewed rhetoric over Greenland.
The Nikkei 225 retreated 556.10 points, or 1.1%, to 51,961.98.
In Japan, shares of Kawasaki Heavy Industries slid 2.11%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index crumbled 251.5 points, or 0.9%, to 26,458.95.
South Korea’s Korea Aerospace fell 1.62%, while Poongsan declined 4.5%. Hanwha Aerospace retreated 1.76%.
Shares of South Korean Hyundai Motors soared 13.8%, extending gains for a sixth straight session. The company announced Tuesday that it planned to deploy humanoid robots at U.S. factories from 2028.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump and his team were considering “a range of options” in order to acquire Greenland — including “utilizing the U.S. Military.”
The statement further escalates the Trump administration’s already aggressive rhetoric about Greenland, which the president has long sought to make a part of the United States.
Australian market inched forward, after domestic inflation data came in below forecasts. The Consumer Price Index rose 3.4% from a year earlier in November, missing Reuters’ expectations of 3.7%, and below October’s 3.8% inflation.
Monthly inflation was also unchanged from October, suggesting that price pressures may be easing and the case for a hike in interest rates may be cooling.
In other markets
The CSI 300 in Shanghai added 72.95 points, or 1.6%, to 4,790.69.
In Korea, the Kospi gained 67.96 points, or 1.5%, to 4,525.48.
In Taiwan, the Taiex hopped 471.26 points, or 1.6%, to 30,576.30
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index moved ahead 59.47 points, or 1.3%. to 4,739.07.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 progressed 76.35 points, or 0.6%, to 13,663.58.
In Australia, the ASX 200 lost 45.88 points, or 0.5%, to 8,682.75.
