Asian markets traded lower Thursday, weighed by a weak finish on Wall Street Wednesday with Japan's shares also dragged down by weaker-than-expected economic data.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 lost 124.63 points, or 1.1%, to 11,168.20
Hong Kong markets settled 61.73 points, or 0.3%, to 21,867.04.
Selling in Japan was also fueled by news Japan's core machinery orders in February fell 5.4% on-month, missing expectations for a 3.9% rise, a discouraging sign for capital expenditure.
Machinery plays lost ground, with Fanuc losing 1.0%, Komatsu shedding 1.5% and Okuma losing 1.9%.
Nissan Motor shed 1.1%, falling in line with other automakers on the yen's strength, despite announcing a tripartite alliance between Renault Nissan and Daimler to develop a new generation of small cars, share engines and cooperate in small commercial vans. The deal was in line with expectations and the stock had already risen 17.0% since the beginning of March.
In Australia, mining plays led losses, with RBS Morgans private client adviser Trent Muller saying most of the sector's weakness was likely due to concerns the stocks were overbought after the industry's recent wave of merger and acquisition news.
Market leader BHP Billiton fell 1.9%, while rival Rio Tinto dropped 1.0% and Alumina fell 1.9%.
Bucking the trend, gold plays advanced with Eldorado Gold jumping 7.6% and Lihir Gold adding 1.5%. Fresh concerns over Greece helped boost gold as an "alternative currency," according to some experts.
Korean shares traded lower on profit-taking in shipping firms and airlines, but tech plays rose on bargain buying.
Among techs, Samsung Electronics was up 2.6%, Hynix added 1.3% and LG Electronics rose 0.4%. But STX Pan Ocean fell 1.1% and Asiana Airlines lost 3.0%.
In foreign-exchange markets, the euro remained under pressure, trading at $1.3338 U.S. compared with $1.3355 U.S. late Wednesday in New York, on renewed concerns about Greece. Against the yen, the euro was at Y124.47, compared with Y124.63, while the dollar was at Y93.29 compared with Y93.33.
Elsewhere;
Shanghai’s CSI 300 Index came in lower by 40.20 points, or 1.2%, to 3,346.73
Korea’s Kospi index advanced 7.18 points to 1,733.78
Singapore’s Straits Times Index gave back 24.91 points, or 0.8%, to 2,963.19
Taiwan’s Taiex index jettisoned 64.18 points or 0.8% to 8,057.60
New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index let go of 17.31 points, or 0.5%, to 3,307.76
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gave back 23 points, or 0.5%, to 4,937.90
