Nikkei: 8,981.94 (–56.80) Hang Seng: 19,595.14 (–188.53) Shanghai Comp: 2,581.51 (+32.33): ASIAN STOCKS fell yesterday, as turbulence on global markets persisted, but a number of the region's indices notched up gains in late trade thanks to positive trading in US futures.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 1 per cent as financial stocks on both indices weakened on mounting concern about the damage that Europe’s spreading debt crisis will cause to the financial system.

In Hong Kong, HSBC sank 2.9 per cent to HK$67 and Bank of China Hong Kong fell 2.1 per cent to HK$18.74, while Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, Japan’s biggest lender by market value, shed 1.9 per cent to ¥357 and Shinsei Bank lost 2.2 per cent to ¥89.

Nikon, a camera manufacturer, climbed 8.2 per cent to ¥1,750 after raising its forecast for annual profits.

Software group Trend Micro also raised its outlook after posting better than expected first-half profit, lifting its shares 8.1 per cent to ¥2,289.

Seoul’s Kospi Composite index, ended the session 0.6 per cent higher. Samsung Electronics, however, fell 1.7 per cent to Won708,000. – (Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011)