Most of the Asian equity benchmarks were trading lower on Tuesday as concerns over the surge in the spread of the delta variant of coronavirus in several countries weighing on investor sentiment. Meanwhile, global investors looked ahead to US jobs data due out this week for signs of the health of the world’s biggest economy. Japanese market trading lower after more prefectures are under the state of emergency until August 31 to prevent spread of delta variant infections. Chinese and Hong Kong shares declined after Chinese media labelled online gaming as ‘spiritual opium’, heightening concerns that the industry could become the next target of Beijing’s regulatory wrath. Among the Asian stocks, Taiwan and Singapore are in negative territory. Bucking the trend, Malaysia, South Korea, and Indonesia are trading in positive note.
Nikkei 225 declined by 140.67 points or 0.51% to 27,640.35, Straits Times down by 16.08 points or 0.51% to 3,145.14, Hang Seng dipped by 72.63 points or 0.28% to 26,163.17, Taiwan Weighted curtailed by 2.20 points or 0.01% to 17,501.08, and Shanghai Composite fell 12.15 points or 0.35% to 3,452.14.
On the flip side, Kospi higher by 9.43 points or 0.29% to 3,232.47, Jakarta Composite hiked by 37.89 points 0.62% to 6,134.43, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI added by 0.33 points or 0.02% to 1,493.33.