Asia report: Markets lower as tech stocks stumble

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was down 0.92% at 20,033.43, as the yen strengthened against the dollar, last moving ahead 0.15% to JPY 112.01.

The Tokyo benchmark did dip below 20,000 points during the session.

Core CPI data was released for May, with Japan’s consumer prices rising 0.4% year-on-year in the month.

Industrial production figures, on the other hand, fell 3.3% month-on-month.

On the tech front, videogames firm Nintendo was down 2.84%, while internet company Yahoo Japan fell 1.61%, after the sector’s declines in the US overnight.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite was up 0.09% at 3,191.06, while the smaller, technology-heavy Shenzhen Composite was 0.29% higher at 1,897.69.

China’s manufacturing sector picked up more than anticipated in June, with the official manufacturing PMI rising to 51.7 - more than the 51.0 estimated in a Reuters poll.

South Korea’s Kospi finished down 0.16% at 2,391.79, as Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 0.77% to settle at 25,764.58.

Seoul’s tech sector was mixed, following another red day for technology stocks on Wall Street overnight, with electronics giant Samsung Electronics losing 0.83%, and chipmaker SK Hynix losing 1.61%.

Oil prices were somewhat higher during Asian trading, with Brent crude last up 0.71% at $47.76 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate adding 0.95% to $45.36.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 tumbled 1.66% to 5,721.49, while New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 lost 1% to 7,611.44.

The down under dollars were mixed, with the Aussie last showing no change at AUD 1.3015 against the greenback, and the Kiwi strengthening 0.37% to NZD 1.3649.