LONDON (CNNfn) - Markets in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed Tuesday, with banks and technology stocks generally weaker amid concerns the U.S. economy is slowing.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index fell 225.59 points, or 1.5 percent, to close at 14,869.94, while Singapore's Straits Times index ended the session down 1.6 percent at 1,896.28, led by Southeast Asia's biggest bank, DBS Group Holdings, and chipmaker Chartered Semiconductor.
 In Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 54.9 points, or 1.7 percent, to close at 3,261.1. Toyko's market was closed Tuesday for the New Year holiday, and is set to reopen Thursday.
Andrew To, head of research at Tai Fook Securities, said investors were waiting for U.S. unemployment data due on Thursday in the hope the report would give clues to the Federal Reserve's future moves on interest rates.
Most economists expect the Fed will soon cut rates to boost a flagging U.S. economy, but are divided on the likely size of any cut.
On the Hong Kong exchange, investors sent some of the market's recent gainers into reverse, after optimism over the direction of U.S. rates had given property and banking stocks a lift toward the end of 2000. HSBC Holdings fell 2.1 percent, Bank of East Asia dipped 1.2 percent and Dao Heng Bank slipped 2.3 percent.
Sun Hung Kai Properties, the territory's No. 2 developer, lost 1.3 percent, while other property companies were only slightly lower.
Nasdaq loss hits HK techs
Technology and telecom stocks were depressed after the U.S. Nasdaq composite index slipped more than 3.4 percent on Friday. Internet and telecommunications operator Pacific Century CyberWorks slipped almost 2 percent and ports-to-telecommunication conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa declined 1.3 percent.
China Unicom, mainland China's second-biggest mobile-phone operator, shed 1.3 percent after China's official Xinhua news agency said the company took over a network serving 550,000 users in Beijing, Shanghai and other key cities from the Chinese military.
China Mobile, the country's biggest mobile-phone company, lost 1.2 percent.
Shares in Legend Holdings, China's No. 1 computer maker, dropped 4.1 percent amid pessimism about the outlook for demand and profits.
In Singapore, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, the world's third-largest independent chip foundry, fell more than 5 percent on concerns a U.S. slowdown will depress the company's profits.
Creative Technology, which makes soundcards for computers, fell 3.5 percent.
Global market uncertainties hit banking stocks, driving both DBS Group and United Overseas Bank down 1.5 percent.
In Australia, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. led the Sydney market higher with a rally of 6 percent. Followed the media company into the black, Commonwealth Bank of Australia rose 3 percent.
Among other markets, South Korea's benchmark Kospi index rose 3.2 percent, with Samsung Electronics, the world's largest maker of computer memory chips, rising 6 percent.
Banking stocks gained on expectations consolidation in the sector would quicken after unionized workers called off strike action. Housing and Commercial Bank rose 11.1 percent and Kookmin Bank jumped 12 percent.
 Taiwan's key Weighted index leapt 4 percent on hopes that limited direct transportation and trade links with mainland China would ease political tensions.
Malaysia's KLSE Composite dipped 1.9 percent, while Manila's PHS Composite fell 3.1 percent on worries about the political situation following a spate of bombings in Manila over the weekend.
Jakarta's JSX slipped 1.5 percent and the BSE Sensex in Mumbai dipped 0.1 percent.
--from staff and wire reports 
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