Asian markets traded mostly lower in early deals on Wednesday, as the sluggish August US manufacturing activity spurred recession fears and tempered expectations about Federal Reserve dovish shift. Sharp sell-off in tech sector stocks with its global counter partners also pressured local indices. Market sentiments also dulled after reports indicated that China’s service sector grew less than expected during August. Japan’s Nikkei retreated from one-month high rate in tandem the negative trend in Wall Street overnight. Regained strength of local currency yen also weighed down the domestic equities. Moreover, expectations that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates again before the year ends also raised woes in the market.
Nikkei 225 tumbled by 1,442.14 points 3.73% to 37,244.17, Straits Times curtailed by 51.12 points 1.47% to 3,429.22, Taiwan Weighted dipped by 859.03 points or 3.89% to 21,233.18, Hang Seng shrunk by 189.24 points 1.08% to 17,462.25, KOSPI Index lower by 78.68 points or 2.95% to 2,585.95, Shanghai Composite narrowed by 13.59 points or 0.49% to 2,789.39, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI down by 5.25 points or 0.31% to 1,671.40. However, Jakarta Composite was up by 44.06 points or 0.58% to 7,660.58.