Asia-Pacific stocks mostly dropped Wednesday, March 8, with the Japanese market showing a fourth day of increases and shares in Hong Kong declining for the second day.
Hong Kong stocks declined, with the Hang Seng Index HK:HSI down 2.4% at 20,051.25, while the Nikkei 225 Index JP:NIK of Japanese companies gained 0.5% to 28,444.19.
The Shanghai Composite Index CN:SHCOMP of Chinese companies weakened 0.1% to 3,283.25, and The FTSE Straits Times Index SG:STI of Singapore stocks declined 0.6% to 3,226.86. The KOSPI Composite Index KR:180721 of South Korean stocks dropped 1.3% to 2,431.91, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Benchmark Index AU:XJO weakened 0.8% to 7,307.80.
Of the the Hang Seng Index constituents, mobile telecommunications company China Unicom (Hong Kong) HK:762 saw the largest increase Wednesday, as shares added 3.5%.
Shares of non-alcoholic beverages/drinks firm Nongfu Spring HK:9633 and commercial/industrial real estate company Wharf Real Estate Invt HK:1997 rose 1.1% and 0.3%, respectively.
Shares of property managers company Country Garden Svcs HK:6098 saw the largest decrease in Hong Kong, as shares fell 7.2% on Wednesday.
Shares of pharmaceuticals firm CSPC Pharmaceutical Group HK:1093 and real estate services/transactions company Country Garden Holdings HK:2007 declined 6.2% and 5.3%, respectively.
Of the Nikkei 225 Index constituents, department stores company Takashimaya Co Ltd JP:8233 saw the largest increase Wednesday, as shares increased 4.5%.
Shares of department stores firm Isetan Mitsukoshi Hldgs JP:3099 and department stores company J. Front Retailing JP:3086 increased 4.4% and 4.3%, respectively.
Also in Japan, passenger cars company Nissan Motor JP:7201 saw the largest decline Wednesday, as shares weakened 3.5%
Shares of non-ferrous metals firm Sumitomo Metal Mining JP:5713 and electronic office equipment company Ricoh JP:7752 dropped 3.3% and 2.8%, respectively.