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TOKYO, Jan 23: Asian share prices drifted lower on Wednesday in cautious trading pressured by weak corporate results and losses on Wall Street.
Tokyo’s Stock Price Index (Topix) closed at its lowest level in over 16 years, dragged down by weak banking and technology stocks, dealers said.
The Topix index of all issues on the Tokyo market’s first section lost 9.73 points or 0.99 per cent to finish at 975.40, its lowest level since May 17 1985.
The Nikkei-225 average of the Tokyo Stock Exchange slipped 0.1 per cent or 10.07 points to 10,040.91.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong share prices dropped 0.3 per cent on selective follow-up selling after Wall Street’s performance. The key Hang Seng index lost 35.55 points to close at 10,762.14.
SYDNEY; The Australian share market edged marginally higher despite falls in local corporate heavyweights News Corp amd Telstra.
The All Ordinaries index rose 1.1 points to 3,363.7 while the SP/ASX 200 was nudged half a point higher to 3,422.0.
SINGAPORE: Singapore share prices closed 0.2 per cent higher on selected buying of blue chips.
The Straits Times Index was 3.18 points up at 1,666.36 while in the broader market, the All-Singapore Equities Index closed 0.66 points up at 439.39.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices closed 0.2 per cent lower after losses on Wall Street amid continued concerns over the US economy.
The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange composite index fell 1.67 points to finish at 688.56.
JAKARTA: Indonesian shares closed 1.3 per cent higher on sharp news-driven gains in telecommunications stocks although volume remained light as foreign buying continued to subside.
AUCKLAND: The New Zealand sharemarket closed 0.6 per cent lower on profit-taking and a fall by market leaders Telecom and Fisher and Paykel.
The NZSE-40 index lost 12.16 points to 2,101.51.—AFP
