Asian stock markets fell back Wednesday on overnight Wall Street cues, and as traders cooled on tech issues.
Rising global interest rates also undercut confidence, and Brent crude oil futures traded up 0.3% to $94.96 a barrel during Asian market hours.
Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the red, while Seoul's semiconductor-laden KOSPI index fell 4%.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower and declined thereafter, finishing off 2.9% as traders watched bond yields, and ongoing Persian Gulf turmoils.
Yields on 10-year Japanese government bonds struck fresh 30-year highs, climbing north of 3%.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 1,889.70 to 64,325.64, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 209 to 14.
Leading the upside was Sumitomo Pharma, up 2.7%, while Sumitomo Metal Mining declined 11.6%, on softer global metals prices.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and could not recover, closing down 0.1% as tech issues faltered.
The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 18.52 to 25,311.21, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 47 to 43. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 0.7% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 1%.
Leading the upside was China Overseas Land & Investment, up 4.6%, while Contemporary Amperex Technology declined 4.7%.
On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 1% to 3,941.39.
On the other regional exchanges, the Taiwan TWSE declined 1.7%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.6%, and the Thai Set declined 0.9%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.5%.
The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index fell 1.9% on the day.