Asian markets ended mixed Friday, with indexes in Sydney, Shanghai and Seoul turning lower after a retreat on Wall Street, while stocks in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Mumbai staged an afternoon rebound to wipe off their early losses.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 stock average closed down just 0.03 per cent at 13,622.56 after falling 1.6 per cent in early afternoon trading because of profit taking. The Hang Seng also reversed losses to close up 0.5 per cent at 24,148.43.
In Japan, banks and electronics companies were hit as worries about the US persisted. Mitsubishi UFJ closed down 1.7 per cent to Y994 after falling by 2.1 per cent earlier. Canon (NYSE:CAJ), the camera maker, closed down 0.8 per cent at Y4,720 after falling as much as 1.9 per cent.
Earnings from various Japanese companies were mixed. Asatsu-DK, an advertising company, jumped after it announced a share buyback and forecast net income to rise 10 per cent this year. Shares jumped 13 per cent to Y3,460.
Japanese trading companies rose, with Mitsubishi leaping 4.2 per cent to Y3,260 and Mitsui gaining 3.5 per cent to Y2,375.
Elsewhere:
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.4% to 5,606.60.
South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.2% to 1,694.77.
New Zealand's NZX 50 index gave up 1.1% at 3,510.81.
Taiwan's Weighted index rose 0.1% to 7,876.37.
China's Shanghai Composite shed 1.2% at 4,497.13, continuing to straddle the 4,500 point level.
with files from other wire services
