HONG KONG. Mar 2. Most Asian stock markets closed lower Tuesday, with the key index in Tokyo slumping more than 2 per cent, reports AP.

Tokyo's 225-fssue Nikkei Stock Average shed 300 69 points or 2.11 per cent, closing at 13.921.06.

It was the Nikkei's lowest closing level since Feb 9. when it finished at 13.902.66. and the first time since Feb 12 that it has closed below 14.000. On Monday, the index shed 145.79 points, or 1.01 percent.

Share prices in Hong Kong also slumped as investors look profits following two straight sessions of sharp gains.

The Hang Seng Index, the Hong Kong market's key indicator of blue chips, fell 106.88 points, or 1.1 per cent, closing at 9.913.58. Ori Monday, the index had gained 161.97 points.

Bucking the trend was the Seoul Stock Exchange, where the key index rose 2.7 per cent on a fall in local interest rates.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 13.91 points to 533.97.

Elsewhere:

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices closed lower ahead of the release of corporate financial results and

uncertainty over the prospect of a sustainable economic recovery in ihe country. The benchmark Composite Index fell lost one per cent, or 5.51 points, to 526.03.

TAIPEI: Share prices closed lower following a strong sell-off in the technology sector. The market's key Weighted Stock Price Index fell 48.71 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 6.263.54.

MANILA: Philippine shares closed mostly lower, but the main index rose after a handful of bargain-hunters accumulated a few blue-chip stocks. The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 6.11 points.

SYDNEY: The Australian share market closed lower on profit-taking. The All Ordinaries Index fell 18.3 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 2.892.8.

SINGAPORE: Share prices closed mixed. The Straits Times Index fell 4.24 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 1,418.61.

JAKARTA: Indonesian shares closed mostly lower on profit-taking. The Composite Index fell 1.359 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 394.966.

BANGKOK: Thai share prices closed slightly lower. The SET index lell 2.12 points, or 0,6 per cent, to 338.82.