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TOKYO, Jan 28: Asian stocks were mixed on Monday with markets casting a wary eye on Wall Street ahead of a key US Federal Reserve meeting later this week.
Japanese share prices closed 0.8 per cent higher due to reduced concerns over quarterly earnings by major firms after Sony released a better-than-expected set of figures last week, brokers said.
But an underlying wariness over the banking sector and uncertainty over the near term performance on Wall Street capped the top-side, they said.
The Nikkei-225 average of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 76.71 points to close the session at 10,220.85.
Volume was estimated at 706 million shares and gainers led decliners 739 to 570, with 160 stocks unchanged.
Japanese share prices would continue to drift sideways at around 10,000 points on the headline Nikkei index, due to a lack of clarity over prospects for the US capital markets, said Daiwa Securities general manager in the equity department Shunsuke Nishino.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong share prices rose slightly in directionless trade, shedding gains made earlier from property stock buying on the back of a stronger US markets, dealers said.
The key Hang Seng index lost 5.50 points, or 0.05 per cent, to close at 10,767.46, on a turnover of US$954 million.
SINGAPORE: Singapore share prices closed 2.4 per cent higher, pushed up by hefty buying from institutional investors, dealers said.
The Straits Times Index rose 42.07 points to 1,772.90.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices closed 1.7 per cent higher buoyed by news that the Employees Provident Fund would raise its equity investments, dealers said.
The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange composite index rose 12.03 points to finish at 705.61.
JAKARTA: Indonesian share prices closed 2.4 per cent lower led by profit-taking in blue chips following a strong run in the previous three weeks, dealers said.
AUCKLAND: New Zealand stocks were extremely quiet, reflecting holidays in Auckland and Australia.
The NZSE-40 index was down 2.21 points or 0.1 per cent to 2,121.42 on turnover of US$14.7 million.—AFP
