Asian stock markets fell Wednesday, AP reported. The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.3%, to reach 3,282.60, and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo gave up 0.5%, to 27,476.75. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong tumbled 1.3% to 20,840.78. The Kospi in Seoul retreated 1.4% to 2,430.57 and Sydney's S&P-ASX 200 sank 1% to 7,356.80. India's Sensex opened down less than 0.1% at 61,022.03. In energy markets, benchmark US crude lost 68 cents, to reach $78.38 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.08 on Tuesday to $79.06. Brent crude, the price basis for international oil trading, shed 73 cents to $84.85 per barrel in London. It lost $1.03 the previous session to $85.58. The dollar gained to 133.11 yen from Tuesday's 133.06 yen. The euro declined to $1.0718 from $1.0739.
