Asian markets end mostly steady<\/p>\n
HONG KONG (Reuter): A strong gain in Japanese share prices and
\na plunge in Taipei brought to life an otherwise lackluster Easter
\nMonday for Asia's share markets.<\/p>\n
Japanese stocks ended the day 1.6 percent up on the back of
\narbitrage-linked buying after briefly falling below the 16,000
\nlevel in morning trade.<\/p>\n
In Tokyo, brokers said stocks ended higher on purely technical
\ntrading.<\/p>\n
Share indices eked out gains on arbitrage-linked buying amid a
\nlack of other trading incentives with many foreign investors away
\non Easter holidays.<\/p>\n
The Nikkei share average added 256.26 points, or 1.6 percent,
\nto end at 16,304.15 after hitting a day low of 15,892.91.<\/p>\n
In Taiwan, shares ended the day 2.17 percent down on bearish
\nsentiment in the financial sector, brokers said. Reluctant
\ninvestors also helped Shanghai's hard-currency B share to close
\nlower on the year's lowest volume.<\/p>\n
Brokers in Taiwan said the weighted index opened low and
\ncontinued to plunge, ending 135.68 points, or 2.17 percent down,
\nat 6,112.07.<\/p>\n
Financials fell 5.01 percent on heavy losses by the big three
\nbanks -- Hua Nan, Chang Hwa and First banks. Hua Nan led the
\nloss, falling 6.54 percent.<\/p>\n
Shanghai's hard-currency B shares also closed down with most
\ninvestors sidelined because of the holiday.<\/p>\n
The B share index dropped 0.356 points, or 0.65 percent, to
\n54.46 points on volume of 1.164 million shares. Only 16 out of a
\ntotal of 34 B shares in Shanghai traded.<\/p>\n
Markets in Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand were closed
\nyesterday for holidays.<\/p>\n
The dollar was sharply down in late Tokyo trade at 82.13 yen
\nafter New York's previous close of 83.25 yen. Short-covering and
\nbuying by the Bank of Japan rescued the U.S. unit from the day's
\nlow of 81.60 yen.<\/p>\n
In Bangkok, Thai stocks closed slightly higher on the Bank of
\nJapan's 0.75 percentage point cut in its discount rate last week
\nbut trade remained thin on continued dollar worries, brokers
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The SET index closed 1.24 points higher at 1,194.13.<\/p>\n
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian share prices closed broadly lower
\non forced selling by clients unable to pay for their scrips,
\nbrokers said.<\/p>\n
The key Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's Composite Index ended
\ndown 3.34 points at 962.63.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, shares were weaker as fund managers were mostly
\nsidelined on lack of fresh corporate developments, brokers said.<\/p>\n
The 30-share Straits Times Industrials index closed down 17.69
\npoints at 2,053.73.<\/p>\n
In Bombay, Indian share prices closed almost unchanged at the
\nend of a dull day's trade with most mutual funds staying away
\nfrom the market, brokers said.<\/p>\n
The 30-share Bombay Stock Exchange index closed 1.87 points
\nlower at a provisional 3,462.89 while the composite 100-share
\nnational index slipped slightly -- by 3.18 points -- to a
\nprovisional 1,682.78.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asian-markets-end-mostly-steady-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}