Asian markets lower on weak US, British data

HONG KONG—Asian markets slipped on Thursday as more weak economic data out of the United States and Britain stoked concerns about the global economy.

Tokyo stocks fell 0.67 percent, or 67.78 points, to 10,114.79, Sydney was 0.13 percent lower, losing 5.6 points to end at 4,337.9, and Seoul fell 0.85 percent, or 17.33 points, to 2,014.41.

Hong Kong shed 1.32 percent, or 276.03 points, to 20,609.39 and Shanghai lost 1.43 percent, or 32.72 points, to end at 2,252.16.

The losses followed a fall on Wall Street after figures from the US Commerce Department showed a slower-than-expected rise in new orders for manufactured durable goods.

That came after an index of US consumer confidence on Tuesday showed a slip, while home prices continued to fall in January.

The results – added to a cool assessment of the US economy by Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke – come after a run of upbeat jobs data that had lifted hopes the recovery is picking up.

On Wednesday the Dow index fell 0.54 percent, the S&P 500 lost 0.49 percent and the Nasdaq gave up 0.49 percent.

Eyes will now be on US unemployment claims later Thursday, Sydney-based CMC Markets sales trader Miguel Audencial said in a note.

“One would expect that a low figure would boost the market, but on the other hand there is the possibility that the market might see it as a signal that the likelihood of further monetary easing policies may decline and this could be a drag on the market,” he said.

Official data in Britain showed that the country’s economy shrank a revised 0.3 percent in the final three months of 2011, worse than the 0.2 percent drop previously estimated.

On currency markets the yen strengthened as investors sought safer assets.

The dollar was quoted at 82.30 yen in afternoon Asian trade against 82.86 yen in New York late Wednesday. The euro bought $1.3283 and 109.34 yen compared with $1.3316 and 110.36 yen in New York.

In afternoon trade crude prices were mixed as bargain buying helped it reverse some losses that were stoked by the US Department of Energy’s announcement that inventories jumped by 7.1 million barrels last week – three times more than expected.

Adding downward pressure on oil were comments from French Energy Minister Eric Besson suggesting that France is ready to release some of its strategic oil reserves to stave off rising prices.

“It was the United States that requested this, and France greeted the idea favorably. We are now waiting for the opinion of the International Energy Agency,” Besson said on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in May, shed 11 cents to $105.30 per barrel while Brent North Sea crude for May settlement was up 24 cents at $124.40.

Gold was at $1,656.60 an ounce at 1050 GMT, compared with $1,676.26 late Wednesday.

In other markets:

— Singapore closed down 0.73 percent, or 21.89 points, at 2,994.09.

United Overseas Bank was down 1.40 percent at Sg$18.34 while vehicle distributor Jardine Cycle and Carriage shed 0.67 percent to Sg$47.72.

— Taipei fell 2.06 percent, or 165.41 points, to 7,872.66.

Leading smartphone maker HTC plummeted 4.76 percent to Tw$600.0 while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. lost 1.64 percent to end at Tw$84.1.

— Manila closed 0.35 percent, or 17.58 points, higher at 5,085.24.

JG Summit Holdings rose 6.24 percent to 31.50 pesos but SM Investments dropped 0.38 percent to 663 pesos and Alliance Global fell 0.78 percent to 12.68 pesos.

— Wellington rose 0.26 percent, or 8.93 points, to 3,495.44.

Contact Energy fell 0.21 percent to NZ$4.67 and Telecom slipped 0.41 percent to NZ$2.45.

— Kuala Lumpur added 0.11 percent, or 1.69 points, to 1,585.44.

Budget carrier AirAsia gained 1.48 percent to 3.43 ringgit, while financial firm CIMB Group Holdings climbed 1.33 percent to 7.60 ringgit. Plantation firm Sime Darby lost 0.10 percent to 9.74 ringgit.

— Bangkok was flat, edging down 0.10 points to 1,203.91.

Banpu lost 0.65 percent to 614 baht, while Siam Cement gained 0.84 percent to 362 baht.

— Jakarta rose 0.36 percent, or 14.59 points, to 4,105.17.

— Mumbai slid 0.37 percent, or 63.01 points, to 17,058.61.