Asian shares edge down

Asian stocks were mostly lower on Wednesday as data from both China and Japan pointed to continued weakness in the world’s 2nd and 3rd-largest economies. KEEPING SCORE: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 slipped 1.6 per cent to 17,530.39 after a government survey showed a deterioration in business sentiment in the current quarter, especially among smaller companies. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slipped 0.1pc to 23,455.87 while the Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks shares in China’s capital markets, rose 0.3pc to 2,863.57 after a dramatic tumble on Tuesday. South Korea’s Kospi lost 1.3pc to 1,944.80 and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.4pc to 5,262.60. Shares in Southeast Asia were mixed, according to AP.