Asian stock markets closed lower on Thursday. Japan's benchmark index, Nikkei 225 lost 74.96 points or 0.48 percent to settle at 15,459.86. China's benchmark index, Shanghai Composite lost 13.65 points or 0.62 percent to close at 2,195.82.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 177.75 points or 0.71 percent to end at 24,741. Singapore's Straits Times fell 11.24 points or 0.34 percent to end at 3,330.22. South Korea's KOSPI gained 0.83 points or 0.04 percent to end at 2,075.76. Taiwan's TAIEX declined 7.22 points or 0.08 percent to end at 9,478.37.