January 18, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 27, 1427

HONG KONG, Jan 17: Asian stocks closed mixed again on Wednesday, with investors waiting for the Bank of Japan to make a key decision on interest rates while Wall Street provided no convincing lead, dealers said.

They said that up to late Tuesday, it had been widely expected Japan would raise rates as the economy got back on a more even footing but the government then signalled its strong opposition due to concerns over the recovery.

The apparent turnabout injected a fresh note of uncertainty into the markets, unsettling investors who were ready to accept a rate hike as at least bringing Japan back to a more normal monetary policy stance.

TOKYO: Japanese share prices posted slight gains as investors digested reports that the Bank of Japan is unlikely to raise interest rates at the end of a two-day meeting on Thursday, dealers said.

Markets had been anticipating a quarter point interest rate rise to 0.5 percent by the BoJ on Thursday but local media reports quoted unnamed BoJ officials as saying that the central bank was now unlikely to move this week.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange's Nikkei-225 index of leading shares gained 58.89 points or 0.34 percent to 17,261.35 by the close.

The broader TOPIX index of all first-section companies added 3.22 points or 0.19 percent to 1,706.76.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong share prices closed firmer, adding 0.18 per cent on interest in selected blue chips, including conglomerate Swire Pacific and property stocks, dealers said.

The Hang Seng Index rose 36.62 points at 20,064.57, off a low of 19,841.16 and a high of 20,122.43. Turnover was 58.72 billion Hong Kong dollars (7.53 billion US).

SYDNEY: Australian share prices closed down 0.48 per cent as investors sold resource and energy stocks, dealers said.

They said resources led the selling after base metal prices were mixed in London trade overnight while oil prices slipped further to 19-month lows.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 fell 27.3 points to 5,646.1 while the broader All Ordinaries index retreated 24.3 points at 5,626.1.

Turnover was 1.45 billion shares worth 4.6 billion dollars (3.6 billion US), with falls ahead of gains 639 to 546 while 348 stocks were unchanged.

SINGAPORE: Singapore share prices closed flat with investors taking a breather and select profits on the market's record breaking advance Tuesday, dealers said.

The Straits Times Index slipped 0.55 points to 3,037.66, in a pullback from the record close of 3,038.21 points set Tuesday.

Volume was 2.94 billion shares worth 1.98 billion dollars (1.30 billion US). There were 327 risers, 398 decliners and 618 stocks unchanged.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices closed 0.63 per cent higher as institutional investors picked up select index heavyweights, including national utility company, Tenaga Nasional, dealers said.

The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index rose 7.10 points at 1,139.71 on volume of 1.18 billion shares worth 2.18 billion ringgit (623 million dollars). Losers led gainers 436 to 432, with 283 stocks unchanged.

JAKARTA: Indonesian share prices closed 0.24 per cent higher, extending gains for a third day led by noodle maker Indofood and conglomerate Bimantara Citra, dealers said.

They noted, however, that some profit-taking in large caps including gas distributor Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) capped the upside.

WELLINGTON: New Zealand share prices closed 0.15 per cent higher after sentiment was boosted by consumer inflation data which was read as reducing the likelihood of a hike in interest rates, dealers said.

The benchmark NZX-50 gross index rose 6.19 points to 4,073.33 in turnover worth 149.9 million dollars (103.7 million US).

The market received a boost from data showing consumer prices fell 0.2 percent in the December quarter, reducing the prospect that the Reserve Bank will hike interest rates at its review next week.

MUMBAI: Indian share prices edged up 0.12 per cent to another record close in cautious trade ahead of third-quarter earnings from index heavyweight Reliance Industries, dealers said.—AFP