06:32 AM EDT, 03/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets extended bear moves on Friday, undercut by ongoing Middle East hostilities and rising oil prices.

Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the red, as did other regional exchanges.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower on Wall Street cues and could not recover, finishing 0ff 1.2%.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 633.35 to 53,819.61, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 151 to 72.

Leading the upside was Furukawa Electric, gaining 6.1%, while consultancy BayCurrent declined 6.7%.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and declined through the day, closing down 1% as traders awaited clarity on the timing of a possible Strait of Hormuz opening.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 251.16 to 25,465.60, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 67 to 19. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 0.4%.

Leading the upside was ZTO Express, gaining 2.3%, while shipping-line Orient Overseas declined 7.5%

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.8% to 4,095.45.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI fell 1.7%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 0.5%; the Australian ASX 200 lost 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.3%, and the Thai Set declined 1.4%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 1.9%.

The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index fell 1.4% on the day.

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