Asian markets ended mixed on Thursday as a promising start gave way to more blood-letting in the tech field.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 50 points, or 0.2 percent, to 25,858 on turnover of HK$304.89 billion.

The tech index was 60 points, or 1.3 percent, lower at 4,803 while the China enterprises index was 21 points, or 0.2 percent, higher at 8,644.

Zhongji Innolight shares fell HK$20, or 2.04 percent, to HK$960 in their trading debut after the mainland maker of data-centre optical parts raised HK$53.4 billion in Hong Kong's biggest share sale this year.

It ranked as the second most actively traded stock by turnover on the Hong Kong bourse, after Tencent, with 12.2 million shares worth HK$11.5 billion changing hands. It was ahead of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp , Z.AI and Alibaba.

Up north, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended down 23 points, or 0.62 percent, at 3,804.

The Shenzhen Component Index was 372 points, or 2.73 percent, lower at 13,285 while the ChiNext Index lost 134 points, or 3.97 percent, to 3,244.

The combined turnover of stocks covered by the Shanghai and Shenzhen indices was 2.34 trillion yuan, up from 2.3 trillion yuan on Wednesday.

Liquor, automobiles and education stocks were among top gainers while counters related to semiconductors, memory chips, co-packaged optics and glass substrate led declines.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei share average ended 433 points, or 0.71 percent, higher at 61,867 as Advantest's robust profit forecast lifted chip-related stocks, while banks pulled the Topix down by 21 points, or 0.54 percent, to 3,952.

In Seoul, the Kospi ended 69 points, or 1.23 percent, down at 5,593, its lowest close since April 7 in a session that saw it climb as much as 5.5 percent and later reverse course to fall up to 2.1 percent before paring losses slightly. (Reuters & Xinhua)


Edited by Edmond Fong