Japan

•    NKY-0.22%, TPX -0.34%

•    NKY slipped after BoJ held off on new policy steps and China reported weaker-than-expected July imports. Trading was thin as investors await the FOMC meeting tonight with market players speculating if the Fed will signal further monetary easing, possibly driving the yen to an all-time high against the dollar. Turnover on the TPX fell to 875.86B yen from 1.08 trillion yen yesterday

•    Stocks fell across most sectors led by oil & gas, materials, utilities, consumer and industrials. Telecom rose

•    Exporters were in focus as market players speculated if the BoJ or the Fed will signal additional easing measures: autos +0.15%, CE -0.90%, precision  -0.44%

•    Best performing sectors on the TPX: securities +1.24%, mining +0.99%, info & comm. +0.41%; worst performing sectors: airlines -2.53%, oil & coal -1.70%, rubber products -1.60%

Hong Kong

•    HSI -1.50%; HSCEI -2.31%

•    Stocks fell tracking mainland shares after property prices moderated and China imports growth slowed in July. Turnover on the HSI fell to HK$17.48B from HK$22.20B yesterday

•    Autos fell after report China’s passenger-car sales to dealerships rose at the slowest pace in July since Mar’09

•    Coal names fell. Coal prices at Qinhuangdao port, a Chinese benchmark, fell for a third week. Prices fell 1.4% WoW to between 725 yuan and 735 yuan a metric ton as of yesterday, China Coal Transport and Distribution Association

China

•    SHCOMP -2.89%; SZCOMP -3.27%

•    Stocks fell after weaker-than-expected July imports raised concerns about the strength of domestic demand after lending and property curbs slow growth in the world’s 3rd largest economy. Turnover on the SHCOMP rose to 124.52B yuan from 121.40B yuan yesterday

•    Stocks fell across most sectors led by consumer, tech, industrials, tech, oil & gas and materials names

•    Banks -2.28%, real estate -3.25% after property prices rose 10.3% YoY in July, slowing from 11.4% in June and less than consensus 10.5% following the government measures to curb speculation

•    Autos -1.84%. China’s passenger-car sales to dealerships rose at the slowest pace in July since Mar’09. Wholesale deliveries of cars, sport-utility vehicles and multipurpose vehicles increased 13.6% YoY to 946,200 in July, compared with 19% growth in June, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported yesterday

•    Shippers -3.84% after both import and export moderated in July

•    Coal -3.53%. Coal prices at Qinhuangdao port, a Chinese benchmark, fell for a third week. Prices fell 1.4% WoW to between 725 yuan and 735 yuan a metric ton as of yesterday, China Coal Transport and Distribution Association