HONG KONG - Asian markets mostly fell Tuesday, retreating from the previous day's gains.
Tokyo rose 0.23% or 34.00 points to finish at 14,636.52, the Nikkei's highest close in nearly two months, while Sydney was a tad lower, skidding 1.1 points to 5,511.7.
Seoul dropped 0.63 or 12.72 points to 1,997.63 and Shanghai fell 0.34%, or 6.91 points, to 2,034.57. Hong Kong ended almost flat, dipping 18.88 points to 22,944.30.
Jakarta dipped 0.18% or 9.13 points to 4963.93, Kuala Lumpur's main stock index gained 4.77 points or 0.26% to 1,867.57 and Manila closed 0.15% lower, dipping 10.16 points to 6,780.26.
Singapore's Straits Times Index eased 0.27%, or 8.82 points, to 3,274.06 and Taipei added 0.21%, or 19.17 points, to 9,055.29.
There were no cues from London and New York, where markets were closed for public holidays.
With few catalysts to fuel buying, dealers took their cash off the table. Attention is on the release this week of key US data, including revised economic growth for the first three months of the year.
Despite the regional sell-off Tokyo enjoyed a pick-up thanks to a weaker yen as a more bullish outlook saw investors move away from the safe-haven currency and into higher-risk assets.
"Technically, (Tuesday's Nikkei) move was significant, and could signal further bullishness ahead," Yoshihiro Okumura, general manager at Chibagin Asset Management told Dow Jones Newswires.
In the afternoon the dollar was changing hands at 101.88 yen, against 101.85 yen on Monday in Europe, while the euro rose to US$1.3655 and 139.10 yen from $1.3652 and 139.05 yen.
The euro reversed losses seen in Asia on Monday caused by weak German business data that had boosted speculation of further monetary easing measures by the European Central Bank.