Beijing - Shares in China's main stock market index fell nearly 3 per cent Tuesday with analysts saying investors were taking profits after a recent spree of gains.

The key Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks shares traded in local and foreign currencies, lost 69.95 points, or 2.93 per cent, to end the day at 2,319.44 points.

The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index also fell 3.45 per cent, closing at 736.98.

The losses followed a jump of almost 3 per cent in Shanghai on Monday after several days of minor gains in both markets.

Taipei - Taiwan's stocks ended 2.17 per cent lower Tuesday, despite a government-initiated bailout move to save a financially troubled dynamic random access memory (DRAM) maker, dealers said.

The TAIEX stock index opened lower and extended its downward trend to close at 4,491.78, down 99.48 points or 2.17 per cent from Monday's trade.

Market dealers said investors were not optimistic about the prospect of DRAM companies even after a banking consortium agreed to lend 3 billion Taiwan dollars (87 million US dollars) to help improve the financial condition of struggling DRAM maker ProMOS.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index crashed back through the 13,000 barrier Tuesday as growing gloom over economic prospects forced prices down by almost 4 per cent.

The blue-chip index shed 510.48 points, or 3.79 per cent, to end the day at 12,945.4, the first time it has slipped below 13,000 since early February. Turnover was 41.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (5.3 billion US dollars).

Indian stock market continued to remain weak as traders booked positions after non-eventful budget failed to boost investors’ reaction.

Moreover, depressing Asian markets also have contributed to the sharp fall this afternoon.

At 13:48 hrs, the Sensex lost 2.87% or 267.25 points at 9038.20, slightly off a low of 9022.67 it had touched a little while ago. Meanwhile, Nifty lost 81.65 points at 2766.85.

Tokyo  - Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell to a four-month low Tuesday after Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said he would step down following accusations he was drunk at a Group of Seven press conference.

The Nikkei closed at 7,645.51, down 104.66 points, or 1.35 per cent, and the broader Topix index of all first section issues was also down 13.57 points, or 1.76 per cent, at 756.53.