November 15, 2006	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1427

HONG KONG, Nov 14: Asian stocks closed mostly higher on Tuesday with benchmarks returning to multi-year highs and record levels after solid gains were posted on Wall Street overnight.

Buying was broad-based after recent profit taking and aided by an easing in oil prices, which have steadied below $60 a barrel, resulting in Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta and Wellington ending the day at all time highs.

TOKYO: Share prices jumped 1.67 per cent, snapping a four-day losing streak as investors cheered unexpectedly strong third-quarter growth figures.

The Nikkei-225 gained 267.06 points to 16,289.55. Volume rose to 1.85 billion shares from 1.64 billion shares on Monday.

HONG KONG: Share prices closed flat as index heavyweight HSBC's weak North American performance weighed on sentiment and pared gains led by Chinese financials.

SYDNEY: Share prices closed 0.32 per cent higher, led by banking stocks after a steady performance overnight on Wall Street.

The SP/ASX 200 rose 17.2 points to 5,435.6. A total of 1.32 billion shares worth 5.1 billion dollars (3.9 billion US) changed hands.

SINGAPORE: Share prices closed at a new record high, boosted by Wall Street's stronger finish and hopes of better US economic data.

KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices closed sharply higher led by construction and banking stocks on expectations they may gain from government pump-priming measures.

JAKARTA: Share prices rose 2.0 per cent to another record finish on a technical rebound that was spurred on by Monday's sell-off.

WELLINGTON: Share prices rose 0.58 per cent for another record finish as fresh merger and acquisition speculation boosted interest.

The NZX-50 gross index added 22.22 points to 3,840.70 on turnover worth 131.5 million New Zealand dollars (86.9 million US).

MUMBAI: Share prices closed up 0.20pc to hit a fourth straight record high, led by buying in software stocks.—AFP