Tokyo (Nikkei Average NIK, -1.42% ) down 1.3%
Hong Kong (Hang Seng Index HSI, +0.14% ) up 0.1%
Shanghai (Shanghai Composite Index SHCOMP, +0.33% ) up 0.3% (at break)
Sydney (S&P/ASX 200 XJO, -1.34% ) down 1.1%
Seoul (Kospi SEU, -0.70% ) down 0.5%
Mumbai (Sensex 1, -0.78% ) down 0.6%
Taipei (Taiex Y9999, -0.74% ) down 0.7%
Asian markets wound back on Thursday, in line with a hefty sell-off on Wall Street, after surprisingly weak US data hinted at ongoing weakness in the world's number one economy.
The euro maintained its recent strength against the dollar and yen, boosted by receding expectations of an early US rate hike and upbeat indicators out of the eurozone.
Oil prices also enjoyed support from concerns about unrest in the crude-rich Middle East following news that Saudi Arabian jets had struck rebel positions in neighbouring Yemen.
In early trade Tokyo sank 1.56 per cent from a 15-year high, while Sydney lost 1.30 per cent, Seoul shed 0.74 per cent, Hong Kong shed 0.30 per cent and Shanghai slipped 0.55 per cent.
SINGAPORE shares retreated in early Thursday trade on the back of losses on Wall Street and soft US economic data. The Straits Times Index dipped 0.31 per cent, or 10.64 points, to 3,408.38 as at 9.02am, wiping out Wednesday's feeble gain.
Among the most active counters were Ascendas Reit, which slid three Singapore cents to S$2.51 as at 9.03am, while Yuuzoo opened one cent higher at S$0.30. A total of 61.6 million shares worth S$109.5 million had changed hands as at 9.02am. Losers outnumbered gainers 83 to 44.
