The major Asia-Pacific indices continued.....>

STOCKS: The major Asia-Pacific indices continued to falter on Wednesday,

hampered by the continued trade war & EM worries.

- The Nikkei 225 was also pressured by a stronger JPY & earthquake hitting the

northern tip of the country's main islands. The index shed 0.4%, with the IT &

healthcare sectors leading the way lower. One of the notable losers on the day

was Hokkaido Electric Power, who provide electricity to the region hit by the

earthquake. The name struggled as the prefecture was left without any power.

- The Hang Seng lost ~0.6% as IT & healthcare struggled once again, while

China's CSI 300 lost 0.3% ahead of the end of the U.S. public comment process

re: the next round of tariffs to be levied on Chinese goods.

- The ASX 200 lost 1.00% with a focus on financials as CBA & ANZ followed

Westpac in raising their variable mortgage rates. Once again IT & healthcare led

the way lower, with telecoms the only sector in the green.

- U.S. index futures traded either side of unch.