<div id="readability-page-1" class="page">05:47 AM EST, 03/04/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets retreated Wednesday, as traders weighed the Middle East war, rising oil prices, and the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which the region receives much of its petroleum.Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the red, as did other regional exchanges, led by a 12.1% decline in Seoul's benchmark KOSPI Index, the largest one-day slip in index history.In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower and declined through the day, finishing off 3.6% as traders again mulled Middle East war news and crude prices.The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 2,033.51 to 54,245.54, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 205 to 18.Leading the upside was consultancy BayCurrent, up 5.6%, while beverage-house Kyowa Kirin declined 18.3%.In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and could not recover, closing down 2%.The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 518.60 to 25,249.48, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 78 to nine. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 1.9%.Leading the upside was aluminum-producer China Hongqiao, gaining 6.1%, while insurer AIA declined 4.7%.On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 1% to 4,082.47.In economic news, China's composite purchasing managers index (PMI), a combination of the nation's manufacturing and services sectors, logged at 55.4 in February, up from 51.6 in January, and rising further above the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction, reported S&amp;P Global, citing its monthly survey.However, separately and in contrast, China's official manufacturing PMI in February slipped to 49.0 from 49.3 in the previous month, marking the lowest print since October, reported the National Bureau of Statistics.China's official services PMI for February registered at 49.5, up slightly from 49.4 in January, but indicating a second consecutive month of contraction.On the other regional exchanges, the Taiwan TWSE declined 4.4%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 1.9%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 2.1%, and the Thai Set declined 5.6%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 1.4%.The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index fell 4.8% on the day. MT Newswires does not provide investment advice. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.</div>

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Asian stock markets fell sharply on March 4, 2026, due to concerns over the Middle East war and rising oil prices. The KOSPI Index in Seoul dropped 12.1%, marking its largest one-day decline. The Nikkei 225 in Japan fell 3.6%, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong decreased by 2%. Economic indicators showed mixed results, with China's composite PMI rising to 55.4, but manufacturing and services PMIs indicating contraction. Overall, the MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index declined by 4.8%.

Middle East War, Oil Outlooks Pressure Asian Stock Markets