Tokyo indices each drop 1.1 percent

Most Asia-Pacific equities markets were lower again on Wednesday. India’s Sensex index was an exception, but it only added 0.07 percent to 15,301.17. In Australia, the Sydney Ordinaries dropped 0.79 percent to 6,367.2, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong fell 0.93 percent to 22,841.92 and the Straits Times index in Singapore was 1.68 percent lower to 3,583.97. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each dropped 1.1 percent, to 18,015.58 and 1,758.65 respectively.

European equities were lower on the session. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 1.09 percent to 1,605.06. In Madrid, the IBEX fell 0.63 percent to 15,058.6, while the Paris CAC-40 was 1.69 percent lower to 5,995.97 and the Dax dropped 1.8 percent to 7,893.61 in Frankfurt. In London the FTSE 100 dropped 1.38 percent to 6,567.1, while the FTSE 250 was 0.64 percent lower to 11,726.

Wall Street was lower in early afternoon trade. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.72 percent lower to 13,871, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.02 percent and the S&P 500 fell 0.65 percent to 1,539.34.

Crude oil prices were higher after US inventories reports for last week came in lower than had been anticipated. Prices for precious metals were higher, as well, but base metals were mixed on the session.

The US dollar dropped to new lows versus the euro and sterling in late morning London trade.

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