Asian equity benchmarks are trading lower on Thursday as subdued pace in US private-sector employment hiring spurred worries about a recession in the US economy. Meanwhile, the US will impose tariffs on European Union goods after a victory at the World Trade Organization also dampened market sentiments. Shanghai and KOSPI markets are closed for a holiday today. Japan's Nikkei is in negative trend with a stronger safe heaven yen. Among the other Asian markets, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Malaysia are in red.
Nikkei 225 down 444.23 points 2.04% to 21,334.38, Straits Times narrowed 29.50 points or 0.95% to 3,073.95, Hang Seng decreased 124.18 points or 0.48% to 25,918.51, Taiwan Weighted dipped 68.17 points or 0.62% to 10,879.71, Jakarta Composite lower by 38.98 points or 0.64% to 6,016.45, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI declined 9.93 points or 0.63% to 1,564.97.
