Asian stock markets largely fell back Wednesday, as traders booked gains on recent tech-led rallies and kept a wary eye on global crude prices.

Hong Kong and Tokyo finished in the red, as did most other regional exchanges. Trading floors in Shanghai were closed on holiday, but are slated to reopen on Thursday.

Brent crude futures rose 1.2% to $101.76 a barrel during Asian market hours.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened evenly but weakened in trading, closing down 0.9% as AI- and semiconductor-related shares slipped.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 648.27 to 70,035.71, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 134 to 89.

Leading the upside was Suzuki Motors, up 2.9%, while semiconductor manufacturing equipment maker Disco declined 6.3%.

In economic news, real wages in Japan rose 1.5% year on year in August, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reported.

The nation's leading economic index, which gauges the outlook for economic activity six to nine months ahead, rose to 118.0 in August from 117.6 in July, the Cabinet Office said.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and could not recover, finishing off 0.6%, as tech issues softened.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 150.06 to 24,130.50, as gaining and losing issues tied at 46 each. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 0.7% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 0.4%.

Leading the upside was Weichai Power, gaining 4.7%, while Hua Hong Grace Semiconductor declined 2.7%.

On the other regional exchanges, the South Korean KOSPI fell 2%; the Taiwan TWSE was flat; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 1.6%, and the Thai SET rose 0.2%.

In Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.6%.

The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index fell 0.9% on the day.