
Asian markets saw a broad selloff on Wednesday, with Japan’s Nikkei leading the losses, falling by 1.91% to 39,149.37. This decline followed weak sentiment from Wall Street, where investors turned cautious. The Hang Seng Index (HSI) in Hong Kong dropped by 0.61%, while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.3% to 3,191.72.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slid sharply by 2% at one point during the trading session, with the Topix dropping 0.9%. Taiwan’s Weighted Index also recorded a significant loss of 1.25%, pulled down by the technology sector.
In contrast, South Korea’s Kospi was down 0.79%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.21%.
Meanwhile, China’s real estate sector remains in focus as investors await stimulus measures to be outlined in an upcoming briefing by the housing minister. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, John Lee, is also scheduled to deliver his annual policy address, which is expected to include measures aimed at boosting the economy.
In New Zealand, inflation rose 2.2% year-on-year in the third quarter, in line with expectations, while South Korea’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 2.5% in September.
Despite the broader downturn, Singapore’s STI index edged up 0.34%, bucking the trend in the region.