Major Asian stock markets closed mostly lower Thursday.

Tokyo's Nikkei index dropped nearly one and three-quarter percent to finish at 9,555.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost just over one and one-half percent to finish the day's trading at 23,254.

Share prices were also lower in Bangkok, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei and Wellington, but higher in Kuala Lumpur and Manila. The Jarkata index was closed.

In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 80.77, a loss of nearly one-quarter of a yen from Wednesday.

Gold is trading at $1,544.10 an ounce.