HONG KONG, Jan 7: Asian stocks closed mixed on Wednesday as hopes for a healing of the battered world economy buoyed some markets but profit-taking dragged others down, dealers said.Tokyo rose 1.74 per cent to a two-month high thanks to a weaker yen and optimism about spending plans to boost the US economy, but Hong Kong plunged 3.4 per cent as Chinese telecoms and banking stocks pulled the index down.

Mumbai plunged 7.25 per cent as shares in major software firm Satyam Computer fell after its chairman resigned over a fraud scandal.

TOKYO: Japanese shares rose 1.74 per cent.

The benchmark Nikkei-225 index climbed 158.40 points to 9,239.24, the highest close since November 5.

Honda Motor soared 11 per cent to 2,210 yen. Japan’s second largest automaker said it was delaying the start of operations at a new car plant in Argentina by half a year until mid-2010.

Toyota Motor climbed 4.9 per cent to 3,200 yen and Nissan Motor firmed 9.7 per cent to 374 yen.

Among consumer electronics makers, Canon surged 11 per cent to 3,310 yen, Nikon leapt 15 per cent to 1,261 yen and Sony rose 8.7 per cent to 2,305 yen.

Chip makers were also in demand. Tokyo Electron jumped 11 per cent to 3,850 yen and Advantest added 7.1 per cent to 1,635 yen.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong shares closed 3.4 per cent lower.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed down 522.05 points at 14,987.46.

Turnover was 90.02 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$11.5 billion), its highest in three months.

Chinese state banks bore the brunt of the blue-chip decline on Wednesday after Bank of America sold 5.6 billion shares in China Construction Bank.

ICBC tumbled 7.3 per cent to 3.96 dollars, Bank of Communications fell 4.5 per cent to 5.92, and Bank of China lost 3.2 per cent to 2.14.

Heavyweight China Mobile fell 5.5 per cent to 78.45 dollars and China Unicom slid 10.6 per cent to 9.19.

SYDNEY: Australian shares gained one per cent.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 picked up 37 points to close at 3,779.7 as strong commodities prices lifted resources stocks.

Provisional turnover was 1.59 billion shares worth 3.41 billion dollars (2.46 billion US).

Mining giant Rio Tinto rose 8.1 per cent to 47.02 dollars, BHP Billiton added 2.8 per cent to 32.65, and Fortescue Metals Group was 6.1 per cent higher at 2.27.

Among energy stocks, Woodside Petroleum was 0.4 per cent stronger at 38.77 and Origin Energy was up 3.0 per cent to 16.30. Santos gained 0.5 per cent to close at 15.21.

Commonwealth bank shed 1.8 per cent to 28.95, Westpac lost 0.9 per cent to 16.87 and ANZ Banking Group was 0.3 per cent lower at 15.35. Qantas slipped 2.0 per cent to 2.62.

SHANGHAI: Chinese shares closed down 0.68 per cent.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 13.13 points at 1,924.01 on turnover of 63.9 billion yuan ($9.4 billion).

China Construction Bank was down 2.5 per cent to 3.87 yuan, while Industrial and Commercial Bank of China shed 2.2 per cent to 3.62 yuan.Oil refiners also fell. PetroChina edged down 0.9 per cent to 10.49 yuan.

Sinopec was down 2.2 per cent at 7.25 yuan.

ZTE Corp closed down 4.0 per cent at 27.83 yuan and China United Telecommunications was down 1.9 per cent at 5.19 yuan.

TAIPEI: Taiwan shares closed 1.32 per cent higher.

The weighted index rose 62.58 points to 4,789.84 on turnover of 96.72 billion Taiwan dollars (2.93 billion US).

SEOUL: South Korean shares closed 2.84 per cent higher.

The benchmark KOSPI rose 33.89 points to 1,228.17. Volume was heavy at 561.81 million shares worth 7.55 trillion won ($5.8 billion).

Samsung Electronics rose for a fourth straight day, ending 5.2 per cent higher at 524,000 won on hopes for possible hikes in semiconductor chip prices.

Daewoo Engineering and Construction advanced by 14.58 per cent to 11,000 won after the government said it would spend billions of dollars on environmental projects.

Hyundai Heavy Industries gained 5.68 per cent to 232,500 won as Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering jumped 7.71 per cent to 21,650 won.

Hyundai Motor soared 8.48 per cent to 49,900 won.

SINGAPORE: Singapore shares closed down 1.73 per cent.

The blue-chip Straits Times Index fell 33.08 points to 1,880.58 on volume of 2.11 billion shares worth 1.75 billion dollars (1.19 billion US).

Property giant CapitaLand was among the biggest losers, down 28 cents to 3.12.

Singapore Telecommunications dropped eight cents to 2.52.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian shares rose 0.6 per cent.

The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index gained 5.39 points to close at 927.62.

Bumiputra-Commerce was up 7.7 per cent at 7.00 ringgit, KL Kepong rose 4.0 per cent to 10.40 ringgit and Parkson lost 16.4 per cent to 3.58 ringgit.

BANGKOK: Thai shares closed 2.15 per cent lower.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index fell 10.19 points to close at 462.96.

Thailand’s top energy firm PTT Plc lost 3.00 baht to close at 181.00 baht while its subsidiary PTT Exploration and Production shed 4.00 to 116.00.

Another energy firm, Banpu, lost 6.00 to 250.00.—AFP