Shares fell back Tuesday in Asia after U.S. markets were closed for the Labor Day holiday.
U.S. futures also were lower and oil prices were mixed.
Hong Kong fell more than 1% as Chinese property stocks declined as investors sold to lock in gains fueled by recent efforts to support the ailing industry.
China Vanke lost 1.2%, while Country Garden Holdings gave up 2%. Hong Kong-based Sun Hung Kai Properties shed 2.4%.
Chinese services data came in weaker than expected, dulling hopes for a rebound in China‘s lackluster growth. A survey showed business activity in China’s services sector increased at the slowest pace in eight months.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index declined 1.4% to 18,575.00 while the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.6% to 3,157.86.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.2% to 32,870.00 as the government reported weak household spending figure for August.
In Seoul, the Kospi lost 0.3% to 2,577.71. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.5% to 7,279.30. Shares also fell in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
Investors are watching for comments by European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde and others later Tuesday.
On Friday, the S&P 500 rose 0.2%, coming off its first monthly loss since February, as U.S. employment figures suggested the jobs market may be cooling. That fueled hopes that the Federal Reserve might moderate interest rate increases to tamp down inflation.
The Labor Department reported Friday that employers added a solid 187,000 jobs in August, an increase from July’s revised gain of 157,000. Hiring moderated: From June through August, the economy added 449,000 jobs, the lowest three-month total in three years.
The report also showed the unemployment rate rose to 3.8% from 3.5%. That’s the highest level since February 2022, though still low by historical standards.
Strong hiring and consumer spending have helped stave off a recession that analysts expected at