All the Asian equity indices, barring KLSE Composite, are trading in red as investors remained wary ahead of the key US jobs report due later that may clarify whether the Federal Reserve could start tapering its stimulus programme in coming weeks. Meanwhile, Japanese Nikkei share average fell over one and a half percent and entered bear market territory on Friday, having plunged 20 percent from a five and a half year high hit last month.
Shanghai Composite declined 17.37 points or 0.77% to 2,224.74, Hang Seng tumbled 288.74 points or 1.32% to 21,549.69, Jakarta Composite crumbled 97.80 points or 1.96% to 4,903.42, Nikkei 225 dropped 221.83 points or 1.72% to 12,682.19, Straits Times dipped 9.11 points or 0.29% to 3,184.40, KOSPI Composite contracted 28.87 points or 1.47% to 1,930.32 and Taiwan Weighted was down by 1.17 points or 0.01% to 8,094.97.
On the flip side, KLSE Composite was up by 4.38 points or 0.25% to 1,773.98.
