Asian stock closed lower ahead of the release of Chinese preliminary HSBC manufacturing purchasing managers' index on Tuesday. Analysts expect the HSBC manufacturing purchasing managers' index to decline to 50.0 in September from 50.2 in August. That could provide more evidence of a slowdown in Chinese economy.
Comments by China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei damped speculation the government will boost economic stimulus measures.
Indexes on the close:
Nikkei 225 16,205.9 -115.27 -0.71%
Hang Seng 23,955.49 -350.67 -1.44%
Shanghai Composite 2,289.87 -39.59 -1.70%