Asia Roundup: US housing data lift stocks

TOKYO: Share prices took a breather after last week’s rebound as investors awaited an upcoming slew of US and domestic economic data, dealers said. The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index rose 41.35 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 17,521.96, rising for a fifth straight trading day. The Topix index eased 0.57 points to 1,741.37.

SEOUL: Share prices closed 0.17 per cent higher but investors were cautious, waiting for key economic data due this week and the corporate earnings season starting next week, dealers said. The Kospi index added 2.39 points at 1,449.77, off a low of 1,444.25 and a high of 1,455.51. Volume was 367 million shares worth three trillion won.

TAIPEI: Share prices closed 0.24 per cent higher following significant gains posted on Wall Street last week, dealers said. The weighted index was up 18.50 points at 7,877.82. The Shanghai A-share Index was up 51.17 points, or 1.58 per cent, to 3,281.44 and the Shenzhen A-share Index put on 17.63 points, or 2.07 per cent, at 870.79.

SYDNEY: Share prices closed 0.65 per cent higher, buoyed by gains on Wall Street and domestic merger and acquisition activity as investors pushed the market to just short of the historic 6,000 points level, dealers said.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 rose 38.4 points to 5,990.7 while the broader All Ordinaries index climbed 37.4 points to 5,970.5.

BANGKOK: Share prices closed 0.18 per cent higher as sentiment was upbeat after US investment bank JP Morgan put a “buy” call on bank, contractor and property stocks, dealers said. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index gained 1.25 points to 679.04, while the blue-chip SET 50 index rose 1.05 points to 475.84.

JAKARTA: Share prices closed 0.43 per cent higher, with blue-chip gains helping offset losses in the broader market, dealers said. The Jakarta Stock Exchange composite index rose 7.757 points at 1,813.718 on volume of 1.88 billion shares worth 2.26 trillion rupiah.

MANILA: Share prices closed 0.63 per cent lower as cautious investors locked in profits while waiting for a fresh positive lead, dealers said. The composite index finished 20.01 points lower at 3,150.04 after trading between 3,146.25 and 3,181.40.

MUMBAI: Share prices closed 1.22 per cent lower as investors locked in gains after a sharp rally last week, dealers said. The 30-share Mumbai stock exchange Sensex index fell 161.61 points at 13,124.32, having risen 6.88 per cent last week. – AFP