In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index ended the trading day down 142 points, or 0.59 percent to close at 23,892.
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index edged down 0.85 percent to end at 8,655 while the Hang Seng Tech Index dropped 1.72 percent to close at 5,239.
Over the border, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended down 0.75 percent at 3,377 while the Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.1 percent lower at 10,122.
The ChiNext Index, tracking China’s Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 1.13 percent to close at 2,043.
However, the risk-off sentiment lifted gold and miners’ shares, with key performers including Western Region Gold, Shandong Gold Mining and Zhongjin Gold Corp all closing more than two percent higher.
In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, closed at 37,834, down 338 points, or 0.89 percent.
The index plunged by over 600 points at one stage after Israel announced a large-scale strike on Iranian nuclear-related and military facilities.
As risk aversion intensified, the yen appreciated to the upper 142 yen range per US dollar, reinforcing selling pressure on stock index futures.
The stronger yen, a typical safe-haven currency, contributed to declines across major Japanese equities.
Crude oil jumped as much as 14 percent at one point to almost US$79 a barrel, before pulling back to around US$74 – still up more than five percent on the day and set for the biggest one-day jump since 2022. US oil futures rose over US$5 to US$73.14.
Gold, a classic safe-haven at times of global uncertainty, rose to US$3,416 per ounce, bringing it close to the record high of US$3,500.05 from April.
The rush to safety was matched by a dash out of risk assets.
US stock futures fell over 1.5 percent and European shares dropped one percent at the open. (Reuters/Xinhua)
