TOKYO, Jan 18: Asian markets took heart from an overnight rebound on Wall Street to end mostly higher on Friday, with Tokyo shares getting an extra boost from a multi-billion dollar bailout package announced by ailing Japanese retailer Daiei Inc.
Japanese stocks ended 1.6 per cent higher, boosted by New York gains and improved sentiment on the release of Daiei’s restructuring scheme, formally announced after the market closed but widely reported in the media earlier.
The key Nikkei-225 index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 165.14 points to end at 10,293.32. The Topix index closed up 22.0 points or 2.2 per cent at 1,006.90.
HONG KONG: Stocks fell 0.4 per cent in Hong Kong after a unit of major phone company PCCW announced it was proposing to issue 450 million US dollars worth of five-year convertible bonds. The key Hang Seng index lost 40.88 points to close at 10,972.96.
SYDNEY: Australian shares market eased 0.1 per cent in a lacklustre market weighed down again by media heavyweight News Corp. and uncertainties in Wall Street.
SINGAPORE: Share prices closed 0.1pc higher spurred by a rise in US stocks, but consolidation limited the gains.
Breaking a three-day losing streak, the Straits Times Index added 1.24 points to finish at 1,661.75, while the broader All Singapore Equities index inched up 0.13 points to 438.88.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices closed 0.1 per cent higher on local institutional fund support with sentiment boosted by gains on Wall Street.
The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange composite index rose 0.66 points to finish at 698.53.
MUMBAI: Indian shares closed 0.7 per cent lower on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on profit-taking and after software giant Wipro announced a lower-than-expected forecast for the fourth quarter to March.
JAKARTA: Indonesian shares closed 0.3 per cent higher on continued foreign programme buying following Wall Street’s overnight rally.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand stocks closed 0.5 per cent higher on the back of a big climb by index leader Telecom, with the positive mood set by overnight gains on Wall Street.
The NZSE40 index rose 10.27 points to 2,100.32.—AFP
