06:42 AM EDT, 03/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets closed unevenly Thursday, as China-exposed exchanges fell back after Beijing's central bank held firm on rates, while other markets largely gained ground.

Hong Kong tumbled and Shanghai sagged, while Tokyo was closed on holiday. Other regional exchanges finished in the green, except Bangkok.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and declined to close, finishing off 2.2% after the People's Bank of China held rates unchanged following a policy session, thus disappointing investors hoping for an easier monetary policy.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 551.19 to 24,219.95, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 70 to 12. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 3.4% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 3.1%.

Leading the upside was CSPC Pharmaceutical, gaining 2.6%, while Alibaba Health Information Technology declined 6.4%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.5% to 3,408.95.

The downward moves came after Beijing left the nation's five-year loan prime rate, a peg for mortgage rates, at 3.6%, and the one-year prime rate unchanged at 3.6%.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 0.3%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 1.9%; the Australian ASX 200 inclined 1.2%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.6%, but the Thai Set declined 0.7%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 1.2%.

In other news, Bank Indonesia left its key policy rate unchanged, citing a solid economic outlook and moderate inflation, but a need to stabilize the national currency in foreign-exchange markets.

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