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| Asian markets fall on weak Japan factory data | Asian markets fall on weak Japan factory data |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.8% to close at 16,173 points after data showed the country's industrial output unexpectedly fell. | Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.8% to close at 16,173 points after data showed the country's industrial output unexpectedly fell. |
| Manufacturing output fell 1.5% in August from a month earlier. Economists had expected a 0.2% gain. | |
| South Korea also reported a 3.8% drop in factory output for August, marking its worst monthly fall since 2008. | |
| Investors remain on edge over tensions in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protestors have taken to streets. | Investors remain on edge over tensions in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protestors have taken to streets. |
| Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 1.3% lower on Tuesday at 22,932.98, after a 1.9% fall on Monday. | |
| The string of losses translate into a 7.3% fall for the Hang Seng index for the month of September - where the Hong Kong market only chalked up five winning sessions out of 21 trading days. | |
| Markets in Hong Kong will be shut on Wednesday and Thursday for public holidays. | |
| Investors in China are less rattled by the protests in Hong Kong. The mainland's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed up 0.2% at 2,363.87 points. | |
| Japan economy | Japan economy |
| Japan's weak manufacturing figures come as the country's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, weighs a second increase to the unpopular sales tax, adding to worries about the state of the economy. | Japan's weak manufacturing figures come as the country's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, weighs a second increase to the unpopular sales tax, adding to worries about the state of the economy. |
| Aside from factory data, Japan also released mixed retail sales, household spending and unemployment numbers on Tuesday. | Aside from factory data, Japan also released mixed retail sales, household spending and unemployment numbers on Tuesday. |
| Retail sales rose 1.9% in August from a month earlier, above forecasts. However, household spending fell for its fifth straight month by 0.3%. | Retail sales rose 1.9% in August from a month earlier, above forecasts. However, household spending fell for its fifth straight month by 0.3%. |
| The jobless rate fell in August, while the availability of jobs stayed at a 22-year high. | The jobless rate fell in August, while the availability of jobs stayed at a 22-year high. |
| Marcel Thieliant, Japan economist at Capital Economics said: "Today's data are unlikely to dispel concerns about the pace of recovery from last quarter's slump. | |
| "We think the weakness in output since the beginning of the year will take its toll on the job market in coming months," he added. | "We think the weakness in output since the beginning of the year will take its toll on the job market in coming months," he added. |
| "Accordingly, we expect the unemployment rate to climb to 4% by the end of the year." | "Accordingly, we expect the unemployment rate to climb to 4% by the end of the year." |