Mixed in Asia, South Korea clearly down

Asian stock markets were mixed on Tuesday. In Tokyo, both the Nikkei 225 and Topix fell by 1.6 and 1.4 percent, respectively. Automotive giant Toyota, among others, fell 1.9 percent.

In South Korea, declines were also visible on the stock market, with the Kospi down 2.0 percent around lunchtime. Like in Tokyo, a number of major vehicle manufacturers were retreating, with Kia down 1.7 percent and Hyundai Motor down 4.4 percent.

In China, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange rose 0.9 percent, while the Shanghai Stock Exchange remained around zero percent. The Hong Kong-based Hang Seng rose 1.6 percent.