All the Asian equity indices are trading under pressure in Thursday’s morning session, tailing sell-off on Wall Street, with sentiments remaining subdued on disappointing US jobs data. US private employers added 135,000 jobs in May, less than the 165,000 expected, while the Fed’s Beige Book also provided a somber reading on hiring. Back on regional turf, Japanese Nikkei dropped below 13,000 for the first time in two months on Thursday, extending its slide from a five and a half year high hit last month to the verge of bear-market territory.
Hang Seng declined 254.59 points or 1.15% to 21,814.65, KLSE Composite slipped 3.37 points or 0.19% to 1,771.05, Nikkei 225 decreased 40.86 points or 0.31% to 12,974.01, Straits Times tumbled 45.32 points or 1.40% to 3,198.11 and Taiwan Weighted was down by 75.21 points or 0.92% to 8,106.70.
Stock markets in China, Indonesia and South Korea remained shut for the trade today on account of public holidays.
