Major Asian stock markets closed mixed Thursday.

Tokyo's Nikkei dropped more than one-half of one percent to finish at 8,982.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost one percent to finish the day's trading at 19,595.

Share prices were higher in Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Seoul, Shanghai and Wellington, but lower in Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Singapore and Taipei. Trading was virtually unchanged in Sydney.

In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 76.60 yen, a loss of just over one-quarter of a yen from Wednesday.

Gold is trading at $1,779.10 an ounce.