Concerns over the Middle East crisis unnerved investors as regional stock markets retreated, with tech firms again leading the decline on Wednesday.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index gave up 0.6 percent to end trading at 24,407 points, with tech stocks leading the decline.

Shanghai closed almost half a percent lower, and Shenzhen was down two percent.

South Korea's Samsung plunged 6.1 percent and SK Hynix 7.5 percent, pushing Seoul's Kospi 4.5 percent lower.

Tokyo was down nearly two percent with SoftBank losing more than eight percent. (AFP)



Edited by Tony Sabine