Millennium openers on a roll in Asia<\/p>\n
TOKYO (AFP): Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Tuesday as
\ntraders discarded any lingering Y2K bug fears to leap on fresh
\nNew Year openings but took profits from surges seen elsewhere the
\nprevious day.<\/p>\n
Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia all posted
\nrises, with Tokyo at its highest level for more than two years,
\nand Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok and Jakarta all soaring more than
\nthree percent.<\/p>\n
The Tokyo Stock Exchange's Nikkei average of 225 selected
\nissues gained 68.52 points to end the holiday-shortened half-day
\nsession at 19,002.86. It was its first close above 19,000 since
\nAugust 21, 1997.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, shares rose 3.4 percent on easing concerns over
\nY2K problems on Indonesia's first trading day of the new century.<\/p>\n
A Trimegah Securindo sales representative said trade was
\nrobust amid relief that fears of millennium computer glitches had
\nnot materialized.<\/p>\n
\"Because we have had no problem with Y2K compliance, that's
\nwhy investors are confident to buy stocks,\" the sales
\nrepresentative said.<\/p>\n
But she said investors were awaiting more details of an audit
\nof Bank Indonesia, which revealed that the central bank was in
\nthe red.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Stock Exchange composite index closed up 23.299
\npoints at 700.218.<\/p>\n
In Hong Kong, the key Hang Seng Index closed 1.7 percent lower
\non profit-taking on technology stocks following recent record
\nhighs.<\/p>\n
The Hang Seng dropped 296.81 points to close at 17,072.82 from
\nMonday's record high of 17,369.63.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, shares closed 2.04 percent lower on profit-
\ntaking following recent rises.<\/p>\n
The benchmark Straits Times Index of the Singapore Exchange
\nfell 52.79 points to 2,530.15.<\/p>\n
In Bangkok, Thai share prices surged 3.4 percent as the market
\nshrugged off Y2K concerns after little or no disruption was
\nwitnessed here or elsewhere.<\/p>\n
The benchmark Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index rose
\n16.54 points to 498.46.<\/p>\n
In Kuala Lumpur, share prices closed mixed in heavy trade as
\nfollow-through buying and profit-taking were very closely
\nmatched.<\/p>\n
The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange composite index fell 0.1
\npercent, or 1.09 points, to finish at 832.80.<\/p>\n
In Seoul, South Korean shares surged 3.01 percent on foreign
\nbuying in the first trading of the new millennium.<\/p>\n
In a half-day session, the composite index closed up 30.97
\npoints at 1,059.04.<\/p>\n
In Manila, the Philippine stock market closed 0.5 percent
\nhigher due to a rise in shares of dual-listed telecommunications
\ngiant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), which had
\nearlier surged in New York.<\/p>\n
The Philippine Stock Exchange composite index rose 11.41
\npoints to close at 2,153.18.<\/p>\n
In Bombay, share prices on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)
\nsurged 2.1 percent to close at a new record high.<\/p>\n
The benchmark 30-share BSE sensitive index closed up 115.90
\npoints at 5,491.01 points.<\/p>\n
In Taipei, the Taiwanese bourse surged 3.6 percent in the
\nfirst trading session of the new millennium with gains across the
\nboard spurred by rallies in neighboring markets the previous day,
\ndealers said.<\/p>\n
The Taiwan Stock Exchange weighted price index soared 307.71
\npoints to 8,756.55, the highest level since April 16, 1998.<\/p>",
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