SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian share markets faltered on Thursday as unease over China’s economic outlook eroded early gains, though an anti-climactic end to the latest chapter in the Brexit saga did offer sterling a moment’s peace.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS edged down 0.1 percent in thin trade, while E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 slipped 0.3 percent.
Japan's Nikkei .N225 reversed course and dropped 0.3 percent.
China's blue chip index .CSI300 eased 0.3 percent, led by a fall in the country's second largest home appliances maker, Gree Electric 00065.SZ, after it warned of slower profit growth as the economy loses steam.
Dealers could find no single spark for the mood shift, but noted China’s central bank had injected record amounts of money - around 1.14 trillion yuan ($168.74 billion) - into the financial system this week, stirring concerns about the risk of a cash crunch.
Adding to the caution was news that a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced bills on Wednesday that would ban the sale of U.S. chips or other components to Huawei Technologies Co Ltd HWT.UL or other Chinese telecommunications companies that violate U.S. sanctions or export control laws.
That came shortly before the Wall Street Journal reported federal prosecutors were investigating allegations that Huawei stole trade secrets from U.S. businesses.
Such moves could inflame tensions between Beijing and Washington and make a trade deal yet harder.
Separately, Handelsblatt
