Most Asia stock markets retreated Wednesday, AP reported. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index tumbled 1.3 percent to 18,497.71 after the dollar fell under 110 yen for the first time in five months, pressuring the country's exporters. Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.2 percent to 24,053.03 and the Shanghai Composite in mainland China lost 0.2 percent to 3,281.46. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.1 percent to 5,921.90 but South Korea's Kospi rose 0.1 percent to 2,126.37. Shares in Southeast Asia were mixed. The dollar weakened to 109.42 yen from 110.94 yen late Monday, the first time it has broken past the 110 level since mid-November. The euro slipped to $1.0603 from $1.0604. Gold, another asset sought by nervous investors, continued to gain, rose $3.80, or 0.3 percent, to a five-month high of $1,278.00 an ounce. Benchmark U.S. crude extended its rally. Oil rose 11 cents to $53.51 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract added 32 cents to close at $53.40 a barrel on Thursday, its sixth gain in a row. Brent crude, the standard for international oil prices, added 16 cents to $56.39 a barrel.
