Japanese and South Korean stocks moved lower Tuesday, as a decline in global oil prices hit a wide range of shares and Japanese investors took profits in cautious trading as the Bank of Japan held steady on interest rates.
In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 79.07 points, or 0.45 percent, to finish at 17,664.69 while in Hong Kong, the blue chip Hang Seng Index rose 138.16 points, or 0.68 percent, to finish at 20,347.87.
Losers included Honda Motor Co., which lost 2.15 percent to 4,100 yen (US$34.45), and Sony Corp., which slipped 0.47 percent to 6,410 yen (US$53.87).
Technology and telecommunication stocks also declined, with Elpida Memory Inc. shedding 1.96 percent to 5,000 yen (US$42.02).
Elsewhere:
BANGKOK: Thailand's shares edged up as gains in banking blue chips, penny stocks erase earlier losses. The Stock Exchange of Thailand's SET index gained 0.93 points, or 0.14 percent, at 689.48 points.
JAKARTA: Indonesian shares rose to a new record high, led by buying in mining and bank blue chips. The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite index closed 11.736 points, or 0.6 percent, up to 1,925.471.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's stock index rose further to post a 13-year high, led by property, technology and plantation shares. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index of 100 blue chips, which hit a 13-year high on Monday, climbed another 0.6 percent to a new high of 1,306.34 points.
MANILA: Philippine shares advanced, led by property and banking stocks amid the low interest rate environment and falling inflation. The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 10.19 points, or 0.3 percent, at 3,304.42. The market was closed for a five-day Easter break.
MUMBAI: India's shares ended higher with the Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-stock Sensitive Index, or Sensex, rising 11.8 points, or 0.09 percent, to 13,189.54.
SEOUL: South Korean shares ended flat as investors took profit after recent sharp gains. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, closed down a marginal 1.90 points, or 0.1 percent, at 1499.16.
SHANGHAI: Chinese stocks rose to a record high close for a seventh straight session as blue chips surged on strong earnings expectations. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained 1.3 percent to 3,444.29 points. The Shenzhen Composite Index rose 1.2 percent to 918.66 points.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's benchmark Straits Times index chalked up its fourth-straight record high on news of faster-than-expected growth of the Singapore economy. The benchmark index gained 22.62 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 3422.62.
TAIPEI: Taiwan shares fell slightly as gains in steel and transportation were offset by tourism loss. The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange fell 8.17 points, or 0.1 percent, at 8048.39.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand stocks traded sideways in a muted start to the holiday-shortened trading week. The benchmark NZX-50 slipped 4.2 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,180.47.
SYDNEY: Australian shares surged to a record high with gains across the board led by takeover targets Coles Group and Rinker Group. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 75.9 points, or 1.3 percent, to end at 6,153.
With files from wire services
