HONG KONG, Dec 6: Asian stocks closed mostly lower on Tuesday with investors continuing to consolidate after falls on Wall Street overnight in response to a rise in oil prices, dealers said.
They also said underlying strength within regional markets remained and profit taking was persisting following last week’s gains.
TOKYO: Share prices ended lower for the first session in four as profit-taking set in following the market’s sprint up to a series of five-year highs.
The Nikkei-225 index fell 127.93 points or 0.82 per cent to 15,423.38, a day after closing at the highest level since October 10, 2000.
In the semiconductor sector, Elpida Memory lost 90 yen or 2.4 per cent to 3,650 and NEC dropped 13 yen or 1.7 per cent to 764.
Automakers were weaker, with Suzuki down 75 yen at 2,200 and Honda off 150 yen at 6,960. Mazda dropped 13 yen to 524.
HONG KONG: Share prices closed sharply lower as investors turned increasingly cautious ahead of next week’s US Fed meeting and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) summit.
The Hang Seng Index closed down 168.21 points or 1.11 per cent at 14,990.61. Turnover was 20.76 billion Hong Kong dollars (2.6 billion US dollars).
SYDNEY: Share prices closed 0.19 per cent lower in lacklustre trading in which falls by mining blue chips were offset by record highs reached by Woodside Petroleum and gains made by banks.
Mining heavyweights BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto both closed lower, dropping 0.20 to 21.83 dollars and 0.34 to 62.99 dollars respectively.
SINGAPORE: Share prices closed 1.04 per cent lower on profit-taking in blue chips led by phone giant Singapore Telecommunications.
The Straits Times Index fell 24.26 points to 2,308.35. Volume totalled 630.11 million shares worth 643.41 million Singapore dollars (383 million US).
KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices closed flat in quiet trade amid an absence of market-stimulating leads and following another poor lead from Wall Street overnight.
JAKARTA: Share prices closed 0.25 per cent higher, after a cabinet reshuffle raised hopes for the economy and Bank Indonesia delivered a rate hike in line with expectations.
WELLINGTON: Share prices slumped 1.30 per cent due to growing fears about the continuing strength of the local currency and the possibility of a sharp economic downturn.
Among exporters which were hurt by the higher currency were fishing company Sanford, which fell 20 cents to 3.95 dollars, while Fisher and Paykel Healthcare fell 18 cents to 3.32.
MUMBAI: Share prices closed lower on sustained profit taking in most blue chips and concern that cement sales, a leading economic indicator, may be lower than expected this month.
The 30-share Sensex slipped 0.09 per cent or 7.78 points to 8,815.35. Volumes were moderate at 28.51 billion rupees ($633 million).—AFP
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