Asian markets ended mixed Thursday after a volatile session, with commodity stocks such as BHP Billiton and Cnooc soaring on a strong rebound in crude-oil prices, while real estate shares broadly declined.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index closed down 66.25 points or 0.51% to 12,956.80 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index advanced 99 points or 0.47% to close at 21,393
In the financial sector, Mizuho Financial slid 2.4%, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial lost 2.5%, Resona Holdings gave away 1.4% and Sumitomo Mitsui declined 1.9%. Among real estate stocks, Mitsui Fudosan declined 2.4% following news that Urban Corp. filed for court-led rehabilitation on Wednesday. Mitsubishi Estate Co. lost 2.3%.
However, shipping stocks gained. Kawasaki Kisen rose 5%, Nippon Yusen KK advanced 1.5% and Mitsui OSK Lines gained 4.2%. Higher oil prices buoyed trading house stocks. Mitsui & Co. gained 2.6% and Marubeni added 1.4%.
Elsewhere:
Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index rose 43.12 points or 2.09% to settle at 2,107.
Taiwan's Taiex closed up 34 points or 0.46% to finish at 7,326.
Singapore's STI gained 5 points or 0.17% to close at 2,817.
China's Shanghai Composite Index declined 9 points or 0.38% to 2437.
India's Sensex closed down 369 points or 2.44% at 14,724.
Malaysia's KLCI closed down 0.3% at 1,109.
New Zealand's NZX 50 index gave up 0.3%.
In Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.6% to 4,981.10.
with files from other wire services
