Asian markets marginally down in early trades

Asian markets are marginally down in early morning trades.

The Nikkei is a tad (three points) down at 16,797. The Shanghai Composite index has slipped 14 points to 4806.

The Seoul Composite index has shed 12 points at 1837, and the Straits Times index is down six points at 3375.

The Hang Seng has moved up 15 points to 21,907. The Taiwan Weighted index has surged 75 points to 9014.