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TOKYO, Jan 25: Most Asian stock markets moved higher on Friday led by Wall Street after Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan’s positive comments on the outlook for the US economy.
Japanese share prices closed higher in line with Wall Street but the gains were limited as investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of Sony Corp.’s quarterly earnings report, brokers said.
The Nikkei-225 average of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 70.09 points or 0.7 per cent to close the session at 10,144.14.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong share prices rose 0.3 per cent on late selective bargain hunting after Wall Street’s gains. The key Hang Seng index gained 31.5 points to close at 10,772.96.
SYDNEY: The Australian share market rose 0.3 per cent after News Corp returned to investor favour and banks benefited from institutional support.
SINGAPORE: Singapore share prices soared 4.1 per cent after blue chips rallied on optimistic comments by the Fed’s Alan Greenspan on US economic growth.
The Straits Times Index rose 67.85 points to 1,730.83.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices closed 1.1 per cent higher boosted by gains on Wall Street. The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange composite index rose 7.63 points or 1.1 per cent to 693.58.
MUMBAI: Shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) closed lower, led by old-economy stocks on concerns over corporate earnings outlooks.
JAKARTA: Indonesian shares closed 1.5 per cent higher after continued foreign interest in blue chips prompted local buying of second- and third-liners.
The Jakarta Stock Exchange composite index ended up 6.603 points at 452.459.
WELLINGTON: The New Zealand sharemarket edged marginally higher, helped along by industrial Carter Holt Harvey’s continued positive run.
The NZSE-40 index rose 4.28 points or 0.2 per cent to 2,123.63.
Carter gained nine cents to $1.99 and has now surged 13 per cent ahead since posting its better-than-expected $25 million December quarter profit on Tuesday.—AFP
