In Asia today, the Hang Seng ended the morning down 47.37 points at 17,102.38, while the Nikkei was recently 16,173.82, down 7.35 points.
New York's main oil contract, light sweet crude for delivery in October, fell 25 cents to $72.85 a barrel from its close of $73.10 in US trading overnight.
Early broker notes:
STANDARD LIFE INITIATED 'NEUTRAL' AT MERRILL LYNCH; PRICE TARGET 284P
LOGITECH CUT TO 'NEUTRAL' VS 'BUY' AT MERRILL LYNCH