Asia opens mostly lower on coronavirus concerns

Asian stock indices opened the second session of the week mostly lower with Japanese stocks mixed, while China, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and South Korea dipped, as Australia eked out gains. 

Reserve Bank of Australia released the minutes of its March meeting, at which policymakers voted to cut rates by 25 basis points to 0.50%, a record low as expected. 

However the global measures by central banks failed to calm the markets, with Wall Street marking it's worst performance in three decades, with US President Donald Trump warning the pandemic could go on until August. 

Japan's TOPEX rose 0.37% to 1,240, while Nikkei 225 shed 0.46% to 16,923. 

China's CSI 300 dropped 1.30%, while Shanghai lost 1.2% to 2,755. 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng dipped 0.68%, while South Korea's KOSPI fell 2.12% to 1,678. 

New Zealand's NZX 50 inched down 0.25%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rallied 3.32% to 5,168.