ADRs in Focus: SHG BHP PKX

South Korea's Shinhan declined $2.60, or 2.2 percent, to $113.38.

Australian mining giant BHP Billiton shed $3, or 3.6 percent, to $79.53.

Posco, a South Korean steel maker, declined $2.48, or 2 percent, to $120.05. Elsewhere in the sector, United States Steel Corp. posted a 14 percent lower quarterly profit, partly because of weakness in its European and tubular businesses.

The Bank of New York Asia ADR index retreated 87 points to 162.70 in afternoon trading. The index is composed of stocks trading as ADRs, or American Depositary Receipts, which are securities that allow U.S. investors to trade shares of companies based overseas.

On the rising side, Chinese Internet company Baidu.com Inc. gained $12.31, or 3.3 percent, to $372.67.

China Netcom Group Corp. rose $2.20, or 3.7 percent, to $61.77.

India's Infosys Technologies Ltd. gained $1.67, or 3.9 percent, to $43.96, after the Indian government disclosed a proposal to lengthen the tax holiday for software firms by another year to March 2010.