Asian stock markets tumbled Wednesday as 2019 trading began, after surveys showed Chinese manufacturing weakening.
The Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, -1.22 per cent lost 1.1 per cent to 2,465.29 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng HSI, -2.59 per cent fell 2.6 per cent to 25,161.03.
Japan’s markets were closed. Seoul’s Kospi SEU, -1.69 per cent lost 1.3 per cent to 2,013.80 and Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 XJO, -1.57 per cent shed 0.9 per cent to 5,593.80.
Manila advanced, while Singapore and Jakarta retreated. New Zealand was closed, reports AP.
The dollar edged down to 109.36 yen USDJPY, -0.34 per cent from Monday’s 109.67. The euro EURUSD, +0.0523 per cent declined to $1.1446 from $1.1466.
Benchmark US crude CLG9, -1.01 per cent lost 41 cents to $45 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained 8 cents on Monday to close at $45.41.
Brent crude, used to price international oils, slumped 53 cents to $53.27 per barrel in London. It added 59 cents the previous session to close at $53.80.