Asia-Pacific markets fell on Thursday after Iran signaled it had no intention of holding direct talks with the United States, even as Tehran reviews an American proposal to end the war, according to the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 faded 145.97 points, or 0.3%, to 53,603.65
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng erased 479.52 points, or 1.9%, to 24,856.43.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that an exchange of messages between the two countries through mediators “does not mean negotiations with the U.S.,” Reuters reported.
Earlier Wednesday, Iranian state media reported that the country would reject a U.S. ceasefire offer and had outlined its own conditions for ending the war.
One financial observers said that a ceasefire is not imminent.
In other markets
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 dropped 59.93 points, or 1.3%, to 4,477.54.
In Korea, the Kospi index hesitated 181.75 points, or 3.2%, to 5,460.46.
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index retreated 16.78 points, or 0.3%, to 4,887.76
In Taiwan, the Taiex index sank 101.49 points, or 0.3%, to 33,337.62.
In Australia, the ASX removed 8.54 points, or 0.1%, to 8,525.75.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 bucked the trend and gained 47.69 points, or 0.4%, to 12,976.99
