Asian markets update today, May 15: Nikkei drops over 1%, Kospi sides 3.3%, HSI down 1.04%

Aman Shukla — Fri, 15 May 2026 02:45:36 +0000

Asian stock markets traded lower in early session on Friday, with major indices across Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China and Australia witnessing declines as of 8:10 AM IST.

Japan’s Nikkei index fell 1.16% to 61,930.29, marking one of the sharpest declines among major Asian benchmarks during the session. South Korea’s Kospi also came under pressure, dropping 3.37% to 7,712.77.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) declined 0.91% to 26,148.04, while China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.58% to 4,153.768. Shenzhen markets also traded lower, with the Shenzhen index down 0.87% at 15,608.15.

Taiwan markets edged lower by 0.17% to 41,681.27, while Singapore’s STI index fell 0.35% to 4,978.57.

Australia’s ASX 200 traded marginally lower, declining 0.14% to 8,628.2. New Zealand’s NZX 50 index also slipped 0.82% to 12,918.76.

Malaysia’s benchmark index declined 0.47% to 1,737.41, while the SGX-CNBC China Growth Index fell 0.92% to 1,744.359.

Overall, most Asian equity markets remained in negative territory during early trade, with South Korean and Japanese indices recording the steepest losses among major regional benchmarks.

Disclaimer: This article is generated for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. The data and analysis presented are based on publicly available market information at the time of writing. Markets are subject to risk. Please consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment or trading decisions. Business Upturn does not accept responsibility for any losses arising from reliance on this content.

Asian markets | Business Upturn

Asian markets update today, May 15: Nikkei drops over 1%, Kospi sides 3.3%, HSI down 1.04%