Asian stock markets were uneven Wednesday after reports on China's manufacturing activity indicated lingering weaknesses in the world's second-largest economy and U.S. consumer confidence dropped for a second month, AP reported. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.6 percent to 16,955.73 while South Korea's Kospi inched down less than 0.1 percent to 1,982.72. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 0.2 percent to 20,779.99 while China's Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.1 percent to 2,919.21. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slumped 0.9 percent to 5,328.10. Stock markets in Indonesia and the Philippines were higher but stocks were lower in Singapore and New Zealand. U.S. stock markets closed lower. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 86.02 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,787.20. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 2.11 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,096.95. The Nasdaq composite index gained 14.55 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,948.05. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 44 cents to $48.66 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract lost 23 cents to $49.10 a barrel on Tuesday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gave up 52 cents to $49.37 a barrel in London. The dollar weakened to 109.90 yen from 110.71 yen. The euro fell to $1.1126 from $1.1131.
