Platinum is on track to end lower for an eighth straight session.

The Philippine bourse was set to end lower for a fourth straight session.

Vietnam, the sole outlier, see-sawed throughout the session to end lower, snapping three days of gains.

Shares of homebuilders initially rallied after the announcement, but later reverted gains to end lower on the day.

Telecoms .SXKP and real estate .SX86P were the only two European sectors to end lower on the day.

Activity was boosted by a year- end lower tax rate deadline for property sales to real estate investment trusts (REITs), it said.

South Africa's rand was on track to end lower for a third straight week with investors looking forward to a national election next Wednesday.

Singapore equities lost 4.7% to end lower for a seventh straight session while Malaysian shares eased 1.6%.

Singaporean shares eased 5.3% to end lower for a fourth-straight session, with financials and industrials leading declines.

European markets ended lower again yesterday with banks stock again in focus.

Meanwhile, UAE markets ended lower as investors booked profit on recent gains.

The Thai benchmark also ended lower, weighed by financials and communication services.

Dow industrials struggled to a slight gain, but most stocks ended lower.

European share prices ended lower after Moody's announcement, ending a two-week rally.

On Wednesday, the Nikkei ended lower, snapping an unprecedented 16-day rising streak.

U.S. crude oil futures ended lower on Monday, dragging down Japanese energy-related stocks.