The Hang Seng Index fell 1.44 percent, or 409.84 points, to 27,956.78.

And the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.94 percent, or 26.29 points, to 2,769.02, while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, dived 1.15 percent, or 17.39 points, to 1,498.57.