Asian share markets were mixed in cautious trading today after weak US economic data raised fears of a double dip recession in the world's biggest economy.
The Japanese market was unable to sustain early gains - supported by another comparatively stable session on Wall Street - after investors digested the weaker-than-expected US data.
Markets in South Korea and Taiwan also took hits after the Nasdaq fell, with both heavily reliant on technology exports, much of which end up in the United States.
Japan's Nikkei-225 average of the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 84.43 points or 0.9 per cent to close at 9,793.51. Hong Kong shares crept higher in the morning session, with the key Hang Seng index up 36.12 points or 0.4 per cent at 10,303.48.
As well as the US concerns, Hong Kong investors hung back ahead of the release of a series of major local blue chip results.
Australia's SP/ASX 200 index dipped 0.3 per cent to 3,077.3, South Korea's composite index closed down 1.4 per cent at 707.80, and Taiwan's weighted index fell 0.5 per cent to 4,916.59.
In Singapore, the Straits Times index closed the morning session up a meagre 0.4 per cent at 1,515.02.
AFP