By Tuba Sahin
ANKARA (AA) - Major Asian stock markets closed Thursday lower ahead of US inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve’s rate hike next month.
Global recession fears, rising geopolitical tensions and uncertainties over China’s zero-COVID policy also weighed on investors' sentiment.
The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, decreased 0.82% or 22.9 points to 2,771.3.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 stock exchange fell 0.60% or 159.34 points to 26,237.
The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, dove 1.87%, or 311.9 points, to 16,389, declining for the sixth session.
China’s Shanghai Stock Exchange fell 0.30% or 9.15 points to 3,016.4 and the Indian Sensex benchmark decreased 0.68% or 390.6 points to 57,235.
The Singapore index dropped 1.39% or 42.7 points to finish at 3,040.