September 20, 2006	Wednesday	Sha'aban 26, 1427

HONG KONG, Sept 19: Asian stocks closed narrowly mixed on Tuesday with investors adopting a cautious stance ahead of Wednesday's all important meeting of the US Federal Reserve.

Dealers said the prevailing sentiment remains that the Fed will maintain its current monetary policy and leave interest rates unchanged at 5.25 per cent amid signs of a slowing in the US economy.

The mood was typified in Tokyo where the Nikkei-225 closed flat. Markets in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul and Wellington were also little changed while Bangkok and Sydney experienced mild falls.

TOKYO: Share prices closed flat after a flurry of late profit-taking erased gains made on news that land prices in Japan's major cities rose for the first time since 1990.

The Nikkei-225 index rose 7.35 points to 15,874.28. Volume was 1.46 billion shares, up from 1.42 billion Friday. Financial markets here were closed Monday for a public holiday.

HONG KONG: Share prices closed 0.23 per cent lower on mild profit-taking in property stocks and select blue chips ahead of the US Fed's meeting tomorrow.

SYDNEY: Share prices closed 0.32 per cent lower, led down by the major banking stocks which knocked back the key resources sector. The S and P/ASX 200 lost 16.0 points at 5,056.8. Turnover was 1.05 billion shares worth 3.71 billion dollars (US$2.8bn).

SINGAPORE: Share prices closed 0.54 per cent lower on profit-taking ahead of the US Federal Reserve's key meeting and a decision on its interest rate policy.

KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices closed 0.28 per cent lower as investors turned cautious ahead of the release of August consumer price data.

JAKARTA: Share prices closed 0.75 per cent higher, with follow-through buying in blue chips such as Telkom and Astra International helping the main index to a positive finish for the fifth straight day.

WELLINGTON: Share prices closed 0.08 per cent higher, remaining almost flat on a softening currency and with investors awaiting developments in The Warehouse.

The NZX-50 index gained 2.81 points to 3,550.04 on turnover worth 107.30 million New Zealand dollars (US$70.51m).

MUMBAI: Share prices closed 0.84 per cent lower to snap five straight days of gains in nervous trade ahead of a key US Fed meet on interest rate levels.—AFP