TOKYO

JAPANESE share prices closed down 2.35 per cent on Wednesday, mirroring falls on overseas markets as fresh worries emerged about the economic outlook, dealers said.

The benchmark Nikkei-225 index dropped 227.04 points to 9,420.75. The broader Topix index of all first section shares lost 20.59 points, or 2.26 per cent, to 888.54.

HONG KONG

HONG KONG - HONG Kong shares dropped 0.8 per cent in a third straight losing session on Wednesday, as talk swirled of the need for a second round of stimulus spending in the United States and a likely tightening of China's easy monetary policies.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index finished down 141.20 points at a two-week low of 17,721.07.

The China Enterprises Index, which represents top locally listed mainland Chinese stocks, dropped 1 per cent to 10,573.71.

SHANGHAI

Chinese stocks slipped 0.28 per cent on Wednesday.The Shanghai Composite Index ended at 3,080.774 points, well off its intraday low of 3,011.214.

But gaining Shanghai A shares outnumbered losers by 564 to 343, while turnover for Shanghai A shares dropped to 170.2 billion yuan (S$36.3 billion) from Tuesday's 187.6 billion yuan.

KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysian shares were flat on Wednesday due to mild profit-taking on selected blue chips, dealers said.

The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index lost 0.89 point, or 0.08 percent, to close at 1,065.47.

Losers outnumbered gainers 336 to 188.-- REUTERS, AP, AFP