Most of the Asian equity benchmarks are trading in red in the early deals on Tuesday, stepping back from a decade high as Japanese Nikkei market dipped on concerns that North Korea may launch a missile, although such signals are not unusual and satellite images did not show fresh activity. Moreover Chinese stocks stumbled for a second straight session, while the US dollar trod water ahead of a crucial Senate vote on tax reform. Among the other Asian markets, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Taiwan are lower. Bucking the trend, South Korea is in positive territory.
Nikkei 225 dipped 64.78 points or 0.29% to 22,431.21, Shanghai Composite trimmed 16.27 points or 0.49% to 3,305.96, Taiwan Weighted lower 56.32 points or 0.52% to 10,694.61, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI dipped 5.21 points or 0.3% to 1,714.65, Hang Seng reduced 265.25 points or 0.89% to 29,420.94, Straits Times reduced 7.69 points or 0.22% to 3,428.67 and Jakarta Composite was down by 42.71 points or 0.7% to 6,021.88.
On the flip side, KOSPI Index strengthened 2.25 points or 0.09% to 2,510.06.