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Hong Kong - Asian markets mostly slipped on Wednesday following a US and European sell-off that came in response to more weak German data and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s decision to cut its growth forecast for the global economy.
The dollar clawed back some of the losses it suffered in New York but with caution taking over among traders it is struggling to return to the six-year highs above ¥110 it touched last week.
Tokyo fell 187.85 points to finish at 15 595.98, while Seoul lost 7.66 points to 1 965.25 and Sydney eased 42.9 points to 5 241.3.
Hong Kong broke a three-day winning streak to end 0.68% lower, giving up 159.19 points to 23 263.33.
However, Shanghai, which has been closed since Wednesday for the Golden Week holiday, ended 0.80% higher, adding 18.92 points to 2 382.79.
READ: IMF predicts mediocre world growth
Shares across Europe and on Wall Street sank on Tuesday after the IMF lowered its 2014 global growth estimate - to 3.3% from 3.4% tipped in July - warning of stagnation in advanced economies. It also forecast 2015 growth of 3.8%, against 4.0% previously.
It warned that the world economy faced increased risks from the crisis in Ukraine, ongoing Middle East woes and the spread of Ebola. The damaged inflicted by the economic crisis that began in 2008 is "proving tougher to resolve", especially in Europe, it added.
READ: IMF warns on Ebola threat for Africa growth
The Fund also slashed its outlook for Japan this year from 1.6% growth to 0.9%, underscoring the damage of April's sales tax hike, while it left its forecast for China unchanged but warned of "near-term growth risks", especially in the real estate sector.
On Wall Street, the Dow shed 1.60%, the S&P 500 fell 1.51% and the Nasdaq lost 1.56%.
Earlier London's FTSE 100 ended 1.04% lower, the CAC 40 in Paris tumbled 1.81% and Frankfurt's DAX slipped 1.34%.
Adding to the selling pressure was data showing industrial production in Germany, the eurozone's biggest economy, slumped 4.0% in August. That came a day after statistics office Destatis said the country's factory orders dived 5.7% in the same month.
READ: German economy running out of steam
On currency markets the dollar tumbled in New York to ¥108.02, well off the ¥109.22 touched earlier in the day in Tokyo. However, it edged up slightly to ¥108.20 on Wednesday afternoon.
The euro bought $1.2646 compared with $1.2667, holding up despite the disappointing German figures.
The single currency was also at ¥136.76, up from ¥136.84 in New York.
The downbeat assessment by the IMF fuelled concerns over demand for oil, sending prices of the black gold tumbling on Tuesday.
And those losses continued Wednesday in Asia. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for November delivery fell $1.09 to a 17-month low of $87.76 a barrel and Brent crude for November tumbled $1.01 to $91.10 - lows not seen since mid-2012.
Gold was at $1 217.96 an ounce against $1 206.14 late on Tuesday.
In other markets:
- Taipei fell 85.63 points to 8 955.18.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing slipped 2.0% to Tw$122.5 while smartphone maker HTC was 0.38% lower at Tw$130.0.
- Wellington rose 10.19 points to 5 245.90.
Warehouse Group added 0.98% at NZ$3.10 and Fletcher Building was steady on NZ$8.61.
- Manila slipped 0.74% to 7 185.68.
- Bangkok rose 0.26% to 1 543.39.
Coal Producer Banpu lost 0.85% to 29.00 while Bangkok Bank fell 0.25% to 196.50.
- Kuala Lumpur fell 0.50% to 1 824.32.
Sime Darby lost 0.11% to 9.09 ringgit, while RHB Capital added 0.35% to 8.70 ringgit.
- Jakarta ended down 1.48% at 4 958.52.
Lender Bank Negara Indonesia slid 3.21% to 5 275 rupiah, while retailer Hero Supermarket gained 0.20% to 2 550 rupiah.
- Singapore tumbled 0.53% to close at 3 226.71.
Property developer CapitaLand eased 1.62% to end at Sg$3.03 and Singapore Airlines finished 0.41% lower at Sg$9.68.
- Mumbai closed down 0.10% at 26 246.79 points.
