Asian markets settled mostly lower on Thursday, saddled by risk aversion ahead of key corporate earnings reports from various sectors and US Q1 GDP data. Reports that global economic slowdown and rising borrowing costs weighed down Asian business also raised investor woes. Japan's Nikkei plunged as yen fell to 34-year low rate ahead to Bank of Japan's monetary policy decision on Friday. Intensified bets over prompt intervention by central bank of Japan as the local currency hits 155 level also sidelined equity investors from major positions taking.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,052.90 | 8.08 | 0.27 |
| Hang Seng | 17,284.54 | 83.27 | 0.48 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,155.29 | -19.24 | -0.27 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,569.25 | -2.23 | -0.14 |
| Nikkei 225 | 37,628.48 | -831.60 | -2.16 |
| Straits Times | 3,287.75 | -5.38 | -0.16 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,628.62 | -47.13 | -1.79 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 19,857.42 | -274.32 | -1.36 |
