Asia stocks track U.S. lower; yen slaps Japan: Asian Markets Latest News Auguts 6, 2013.

Asia

Asia stocks track U.S. lower; yen slaps Japan Asian stock markets trade broadly lower after overnight losses in the U.S. on monetary-policy concerns, with Japan taking an especially heavy hit from gains for the yen. 23:55

Hong Kong stocks track U.S. lower, but Shanghai up LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks opened lower Wednesday after overnight losses on Wall Street, with energy shares a weak spot after crude-oil futures lost 1.2% during regular trade in New York. The Hang Seng Index gave up 0.4% to sit at 21,844.04 in early moves, while the mainland-China-tracking Hang Seng China Enterprises Index lost 0.6%, but the Shanghai Composite undid opening losses to rise 0.2%. Among the energy majors, Cnooc Ltd. and PetroChina Co. each lost 1.3%, while China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. -- better known as Sinopec -- slid 1.4% in Hong Kong. Over in Shanghai, declines for PetroChina and Sinopec were milder, at 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. Hong Kong-listed casino shares were mixed, with Wynn Macau Ltd. up 1.4%, but MGM China Holdings Ltd. dropping 3.1% after posting a quarterly loss. Among the Hong Kong gainers, Standard Chartered PLC advanced 0.9% despite posting lower profit, as the smaller earnings were due to a writedown on its Korean operations. On the Chinese mainland, real-estate majors drove gains after China Vanke Co. reported a 22% rise in its first-half profit. Shares of Vanke rose 1.7% in Shenzhen, while Poly Real Estate Group Co. jumped 4.1% and Gemdale Corp. climbed 3.8% in Shanghai. 9:49 p.m. Today
 

Australia stocks struggle with broad-based losses LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian equities fell Wednesday in early trade, under pressure following losses on Wall Street on worries about tapering of monetary stimulus for the world's largest economy. The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.8% to 5,066 in broad-based declines. Financials fell in the wake of an Australian interest-rate cut on Tuesday to a record low 2.5%. Shares of Commonwealth Bank of Australia and National Australia Bank Ltd. each gave up 0.8%, and Westpac Banking Corp. was off 0.6%. Westpac reduced its borrowing rate by 28 basis points, more than the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate cut of 25 basis points. Moving higher were shares of Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. , up 0.8% after the entertainment company reported a rise in fiscal fourth-quarter earnings from continuing operations. It was the first earnings report since the spinoff from News Corp. , parent company of MarketWatch.com, the publisher of this report. 8:39 p.m. Today