Asian Markets Track Wall Street Lower

Equity markets in Asia closed on an overwhelmingly negative note on Tuesday, tracking the weak closing on Wall Street on Monday amidst anxiety about how the U.S. labor market update could sway the Fed’s interest rate trajectory.

China’s trade data update due on Wednesday as well as the inflation update due on Friday added to the anxiety. News of Moody’s cutting the Chinese sovereign bonds rating also dampened sentiment.

China’s Shanghai Composite Index tumbled 1. 7 percent to finish trading at 2,972.30. The day’s trading ranged between 3,017.01 and 2,972.30. The Shenzhen Component Index also plunged 2.0 percent to close at 9,470.36.

The Japanese benchmark Nikkei 225 Index slumped 1.4 percent to end trading at 32,775.82, tracking the negative sentiment on Wall Street. The day’s trading range was between 33,089.82 and 32,726.68. A downward revision in Japan’s Services PMI readings also impacted sentiment.

Cyber Agent was the top gainer with a surge of 2.7 percent. Subaru Corp,. Toppan Printing, Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding all gained more than 2 percent. T&D Holdings added 1.93 percent.

Advantest Corp. plunged 6.2 percent. Dainippon Screen Manufacturing followed with a loss of 5.3 percent. Tokyo Electron, Yaskawa Electric Corp. and NEC Corp. all slid more than 3 percent.

The Hang Seng Index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange shed 1.9 percent from the previous close to finish trading at 16,327.86. The day’s trading range was between a high of 16,606.54 and a low of 16,228.52.

Korean Stock Exchange’s Kospi Index dropped 0.8 percent to close trading at 2,494.28. The day’s trading range was between 2,492.55 and 2,509.74.

Australia’s S&P/ASX200 Index closed trading at 7,061.60, falling 0.9 percent amidst the Reserve Bank of Australia’s widely expected status quo on interest rates. The day’s trading range was between 7041.10 and 7,124.70.

Evolution Mining, Coronado Global Resources, utilities business Origin Energy and healthcare equipment business Nanosonics all rallied more than 2 percent. Collins Foods gained 1.9 percent.

Mining stocks led the decline amid weaker commodity prices. Core Lithium extended losses with a plunge of close to 10 percent. Liontown Resources also dropped 9.2 percent. Pilbara Minerals and Capricorn Metals both slumped more than 8 percent. IGO also extended losses with a decline of close to 7 percent.

The NZX 50 Index of the New Zealand Stock Exchange slipped 0.2 percent to close trading at 11,356.99 versus the previous close of 11,367.81. Trading ranged between 11,311.78 and 11,380.88.

Vital Healthcare Property Trust rebounded, adding 2.9 percent. Food business Sanford, freight and logistics business Mainfreight and healthcare distribution business EBOS all gained more than 1 percent. Investore Property, a REIT, also added 1.0 percent.

Software business Serko tumbled 4.9 percent. Synlait Milk, software business Vista Group International, healthcare business Pacific Edge all fell more than 4 percent. Restaurant Brands New Zealand declined 3.7 percent.

Wall Street closed on a negative note on Monday as markets reassessed the monetary policy outlook. Anxiety ahead of monthly labor market update also weighed on sentiment. The Nasdaq Composite slid 0.8 percent to close at 14,185.49 whereas the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down 0.1 percent to finish trading at 36,204.44.

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