Asian Stocks Mixed on Wednesday

Asian stock markets were mixed on Wednesday after reports on China's manufacturing activity indicated lingering weaknesses in the world's second-largest economy and US consumer confidence dropped for a second month. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.6% to 16,955.73. 

    Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 0.2% to 20,779.99 while China's Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.1% to 2,919.21.South Korea's Kospi inched down less than 0.1% to 1,982.72. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slumped 0.9% to 5,328.10. 

    Stock markets in Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines were higher but stocks were lower in Singapore and New Zealand. In currencies, the dollar was down 0.6% at 110.010 yen, having come off a one-month high of 111.455 struck on Monday after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's comments raised expectations for a near-term US rate hike. 

    The euro was at $1.1120, putting some distance between a 2-1/2-month low of $1.1097 touched on Monday.