Japan ,Tokyo City skyline, Tokyo Tower. (Photo by: Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Prisma By Dukas | Universal Images Group | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific markets fell on Friday as investors assessed Japan’s July inflation data and fresh blows to China’s real estate sector.
Japan’s core inflation rate fell to 3.1%, down from 3.3% in June. Headline inflation remained at 3.3%.
Meanwhile, embattled Chinese real estate giant Evergrande has filed for bankruptcy protection in a U.S bankruptcy court.
“The company sought protection under Chapter 15 of the U.S. bankruptcy code, which shields non-U.S. companies that are undergoing restructurings from creditors that hope to sue them or tie up assets in the United States,” according to Reuters .
Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 18,147, pointing to a weaker open compared to the HSI’s close of 18,326.63.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.58% and the Topix also fell by 0.59% after the inflation reading was released.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 inched down 0.2%, while South Korea’s Kospi was 0.67% lower and the Kosdaq lost 0.59%.
On Thursday in the U.S., all three major indexes lost ground as investors continued to grapple with minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve that showed it remains concerned about inflation, and more rate hikes may be needed.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.84%, and closed for the first time under its 50-day moving average since June 1, a potential warning sign of a downtrend.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 fell 0.77%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.17%.
— CNBC’s Hakyung Kim and Pia Singh contributed to this report
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that U.S. markets closed lower on Thursday.
