06:01 AM EST, 03/07/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were mixed on the downside Thursday, as currency fluctuations and geopolitics undercut major trading floors.

Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the red, while other regional exchanges were mixed.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher but fell in trading, finishing down 1.2% as a stronger yen capped export issues.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 492.07 to 39,598.71, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 126 to 96.

Leading the upside was Kawasaki Heavy Industries, gaining 5.4%, while Mazda Motor lost 6.3%.

In economic news, real Japanese wages declined 0.6% in January on year, falling behind inflation, reported the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened evenly, but lost traction on Beijing-Washington tensions, finishing off 1.3%.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 208.31 to 16,229.78, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 53 to 24. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 1.6% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 1.9%.

Leading the upside was e-commerce colossus JD.com, gaining 6% after reporting earnings.

Wuxi Biologics lost 21.5% after a US Senate committee advanced a bill that could limit US government contracting with China-based biotech companies.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.4% to 3,027.40.

In economic news, mainland China's exports rose 7.1% on year in the first two months of the year in dollar terms, while imports rose 3.5%.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 0.2%; the Taiwan TWSE added 1%; the Australian ASX 200 rose 0.4%; the Singapore Straits Times Index declined 0.1%, and the Thai Set added 0.1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was flat.