Mainland Chinese stocks dropped sharply Thursday, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index hit another peak and Japanese stocks rose for a sixth straight session.
In Tokyo, Nikkei 225 index climbed 52.76 points, or 0.29 percent, to close at 18,221.48 while in Hong Kong, the blue chip Hang Seng Index added 34.44 points, or 0.2 percent, to 22,252.99.
Gainers included Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., which rose 1.89 percent to 1,725 yen ($14.02), and Sony Corp., which climbed 2.38 percent to 6,460 yen ($52.52).
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BANGKOK: Thailand's shares closed lower in rather active trading, following a 6.3 percent-surge over the previous three straight trading sessions. The Stock Exchange of Thailand's SET index fell 1.52 points, or 0.18 percent, to 823.93.
JAKARTA: Indonesian shares continued its rally to hit another record. The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite Index added 24.82 points, 1.13 percent, to 2,220.93.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian shares dropped with traders expecting investors to continue to lock in profits from recent gain. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index of 100 blue chips slid 7.84 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,369.30.
MANILA: Philippine shares advanced to a new record high as investors gave more weight to indications the central bank will likely keep its benchmark interest rates steady amid the benign inflation outlook. The benchmark 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 70.66 points, or 1.9 percent, at 3,802.32, surpassing the previous record close of 3,751.99 on Tuesday.
SEOUL: South Korean shares closed at another record high, led by gains in technology stocks and retailers, with many analysts predicting the main index will touch the 1900 level in July. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 0.5 percent, or 9.38 points, to a fresh closing high of 1,847.79. The benchmark index has risen 6 percent so far this month.
SINGAPORE: Singapore shares closed flat with market-moving news scarce and investors reluctant to commit to new positions until company earnings come out. The Straits Times Index closed down 3.17 points, or 0.1 percent, at 3,551.68 points.
TAIPEI: Taiwan shares rose for the fourth-straight session to hit a new 7-year high on strength in the tech sector. The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange rose 79.80 points, or 0.9 percent, at 9,148.78 points -- the highest since April 2000.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand shares closed flat as the strong currency continued to weigh on investor sentiment. The benchmark NZX-50 index closed 3.6 points, or 0.1 percent, lower at 4,236.71 on moderate volumes.
SYDNEY: Australian shares rose to a near two-week high on speculation of merger and acquisition activity in the resources sector. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed on its high, up 63.7 points, or 1 percent, at 6,362.3.
With files from wire services
