Asian markets sink further as Hong Kong protests escalate
Asian markets have closed lower as anti-government protests continued to paralyse Hong Kong, with escalating violence forcing schools and universities to close and disrupting transport systems in the financial hub.
Police fired tear gas at protesters blockading the entrance to a major tunnel linking Hong Kong island to the northern part of the city, while demonstrators continued to swarm roads in the business district.
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The unrest weighed on the city’s Hang Seng index, which closed 0.95 per cent down on Thursday. The index has fallen over four per cent this week amid the turmoil.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed 0.76 per cent down after the country reported lower than expected growth figures for the third quarter.
Having opened up, China’s SSE Composite Index dipped on Thursday after Beijing reported economic data that was weaker than expected, but recovered to close 0.16 per cent in the green.
Students from mainland China are fleeing campuses in Hong Kong as violence worsens and anti-Beijing sentiment in the territory deepen.
University courses have been cancelled, and fears among mainlanders have intensified after a video was circulated showing a Chinese student being beaten by protesters at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
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Government-owned Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK said on Thursday that universities in Sweden, Norway and Denmark have urged their exchange students in the city to consider leaving due to the escalating violence.
Main image credit: Getty