Asian markets in skittish mood, Chinese tech stocks tumble

TOKYO, Mar 27 (Reuters): Asian markets were in skittish mood on Thursday following a soft finish on Wall Street and amid simmering tensions over Ukraine, while Chinese tech stocks took a tumble in sympathy with their US counterparts.
 Trading was thin and choppy with the month and quarter-end fast approaching. Tokyo stocks initially skidded as investors counted down to a rise in sales tax that is expected to chill consumer spending and test the market's faith in Abenomics.
 But the Nikkei met solid support near 14,200, as it has for weeks now, and rebounded to be up 0.6 per cent.
 Some blamed Wall Street's slip on news the United States and the European Union had agreed to work together to prepare possible tougher economic sanctions in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
 The Dow ended down 0.60 per cent, while the S&P 500 fell 0.70 per cent. The technology-heavy Nasdaq shed 1.43 per cent to a low not seen in six weeks.
 The losses were led by Facebook off almost 7 per cent after announcing a $2 billion takeover of Oculus VR Inc, a maker of virtual-reality glasses for gaming.
Gaming company King Digital Entertainment Plc also fell as much as 16 per cent in its US debut on Wednesday.
The losses spooked the Chinese tech sector where index heavyweight Tencent Holdings Ltd shed 6 per cent to its lowest level in six weeks.
The Hang Seng lost 0.5 per cent and Shanghai 0.75 per cent. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was little changed, much like most other bourses across the region.