Publications
Partners
Hong Kong - Asian markets mostly suffered a sell-off on Tuesday, after heavy losses on Wall Street fuelled by last week's worse-than-expected US jobs figures.
The yen eased back against the dollar and euro, although that was not enough to prevent a dive on Japan's Nikkei as it reopened after a long weekend.
Tokyo tumbled 3.08%, or 489.66 points, to 15,422.40, Sydney slipped 1.51%, or 80.1 points, to 5,212.0, Seoul fell 0.15%, or 2.85 points, to 1,946.07 and Hong Kong lost 0.42%, or 97.48 points, to end at 22,791.28.
However, Shanghai finished 0.86%t higher, adding 17.28 points to 2,026.84.
Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta were closed for public holidays.
Friday's report from the Labour Department showing the US economy added just 74 000 jobs in December - well below the 197 000 expected by analysts - fuelled concerns about growth going into the new year.
On Wall Street the Dow fell 1.09%, the S&P 500 shed 1.26% and the Nasdaq lost 1.47%.
"The jobs data came in so far below expectations that a sharp knee-jerk market reaction is natural, especially considering how far the dollar has fallen," Monex market analyst Toshiyuki Kanayama told Dow Jones Newswires.
"The selling is unlikely to have a long-lasting effect on market sentiment, but could lead to a more thorough shakeout of what has been a very bullish two-month period."
The result fuelled speculation the Federal Reserve could hold off any further reductions to its stimulus programme at this month's policy meeting, which in turn has pressured the dollar.
In afternoon trade the greenback bought ¥103.345 compared with ¥102.98 in New York Monday afternoon, but was steeply down from ¥104.93 in Tokyo on Friday. The euro was at ¥141.32 from 140.77 yen and also well off the mid-¥140 levels seen last week.
The single currency also fetched $1.3661 against $1.3670 in New York.
In Tokyo, drinks giant Suntory Beverage & Food rose 0.30% after its parent Suntory Holdings agreed to buy Beam Inc, the second-largest maker of American whiskey, for $13.6bn.
On oil markets New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for February delivery, was up 12 cents to $91.92 in afternoon trade, while Brent North Sea crude for February fell 11c to $106.64 in volatile trade.
Gold fetched $1 252.30 at 08:35 GMT compared with $1 246.29 late Monday.
In other markets:
-- Taipei fell 0.21%, or 18.06 points, to 8,548.14.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co was 0.49% higher at Tw$103.5 while Cathay Financial Holdings shed 1.69% to Tw$46.6.
-- Wellington slipped 0.70%, or 34.24 points, to 4,865.9.
Fletcher Building was down 0.78% at NZ$8.93 and Telecom rose 1.07% to NZ$2.35.
-- Manila ended flat, dipping 5.11 points to 5,935.56.
Bank of the Philippine Islands fell 0.95% to 83.20 pesos and BDO Unibank retreated 0.42% to 71.50 pesos, while Philippine Long Distance Telephone slipped 0.37% to 2,700.00 pesos.
