Asia markets uneasy as Hong Kong protests continue

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 0.9% to its lowest in three months Tuesday as nonviolent pro-democracy protests continued in the territory with no clear government response in sight, Reuters reported. While tens of thousands of pro-democracy protestors blocked streets in Hong Kong, an HSBC survey of manufacturing for September disappointed slightly by showing a final reading of 50.2, steady on August but down from its preliminary 50.5. One bright spot was a measure of new export orders, which climbed to a 4-1/2-year high of 54.5.