Asian markets down at midweek close

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Major Asian stock markets closed Wednesday with losses as the war between Russia and Ukraine entered its seventh day.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, lost 50.24 points, or 1.39%, to close at around 3,555 points.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock exchange was also down by 451.7 points, or 1.68%, to 26,393.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, decreased 417.8 points, or 1.84%, to 22,343.

China's Shanghai stock exchange dropped 4.64 points, or 0.13%, to 3,484 points, and the Singapore index lost 34.23 points, or 1.04%, to 3,244.

The Indian Sensex benchmark was down 778.4 points, or 1.38%, to close at 55,468 points.

Meanwhile, major European indices posted negative figures mostly as of the midday.