Share prices mixed in Asia, down in Europe

TOKYO (Agencies): Share prices closed mixed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange yesterday in quiet trading, with many participants sidelined ahead of the book-closing for the six months to September.

The Nikkei Stock Average of 225 selected issues in the first section fell 19.31 points or 0.1 percent to 19,814.36 points after falling 51.71 points during the previous business day.

But the broader-based Tokyo Stock Price Index of all issues in the section rose 0.99 points to 1,585.21 points following Thursday's 1.74 point decline. Financial markets were closed here on Friday for a national holiday.

In Singapore, the blue-chip Straits Times Industrials index shed 2.24 points to close at 2,299.81 from 2,302.05 on Friday while the broader-based SES All-Singapore index fell 2.25 points to 569.54.

In Hong Kong, stocks held steady yesterday ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve meeting on interest rates, with the Hang Seng Index closing up 11.16 at 9,643.63.

In Seoul, the Composite Price Index gained 7.71 points to register the new record high of 1045.12 points.

In Kuala Lumpur, the composite index fell 13.14 points to 1,157.18, from 1,170.32 Friday.

In Bangkok, fears of additional U.S. interest rate hikes kept investors at the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on the sidelines yesterday, pulling the index down 10.34 points or 0.69 percent to a close of 1,495.72 points, brokers said.

In Sydney, Australian share prices ended slightly firmer here yesterday, gaining 2.3 points.

The all ordinaries index, the key market indicator, closed 2.3 points firmer at 2030 after spending most of the day in a narrow five-point trading range.

The all industrials index rose 5.1 points to 2877.1, while the all resources ended steady at 1402.0.

In London, the index was down by 31 points at around 2,997 in mid-morning. It dipped briefly below 3,000 on Friday before recovering, and last traded consistently below 3,000 in July, closing at 2,963.9 on July 12.