Asian stocks traded mixed Friday, with Australia's leading index ending at a record as BHP Billiton, Woodside Petroleum and other natural-resource shares gained as crude-oil prices touched their highest levels of the year.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index gained 211.85 points, or 1.23 percent, to finish at 17,504.33 points. while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 57.39 points, or 0.3 percent, to 20,677.66.
Gainers included Canon Inc., which surged 3.57 percent to 6,390 yen ($52.81), and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which posted a 1.07 percent to 2,355 yen ($19.46). Among autos, Suzuki Motor Corp. rose 1.77 percent to 3,450 yen ($28.51).
Banks also advanced, with Mizuho Financial Group Inc. adding 3.49 percent to 859,000 yen ($7,099.17) after U.S. investment bank Merrill Lynch raised its rating, saying at the current levels the bank looks undervalued.
Elsewhere:
BANGKOK: Thai shares rose 0.6 percent as foreign investors continued their buying of blue chips, pushing the market at one point to its highest level this year. The Stock Exchange of Thailand's benchmark SET Index gained 3.99 points to close at 695.27.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's key stock index slipped as investors took profits in heavyweight shares ahead of upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year holidays. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index of 100 blue chips fell 0.6 percent to 1,240.87 points.
MANILA: Philippine shares advanced as investors took advantage of a three-day slide to buy stocks in Ayala Land and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 49.73 points, or 1.6 percent, at 3,245.81.
MUMBAI: Indian shares ended sharply lower, in line with a weak overnight close on Wall Street, on profit booking in telecommunication and technology stocks after recent gains. The Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-stock Sensitive Index, or Sensex, fell 113.19 points, or 0.8 percent, to end at 14,538.90.
SEOUL: South Korean shares ended higher, with gains at heavyweight Kookmin Bank, Korea Electric Power Corp., and steelmaker Posco outweighing continued foreign selling. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, gained 4.10 points, or 0.3 percent, to end at 1,427.68.
SHANGHAI: Chinese share prices slipped as subscriptions for an initial public offering by China's No. 2 insurer Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. sapped funds from the market. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.3 percent to 2,730.39. The Shenzhen Composite Index lost 0.1 percent to 678.04.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's shares finished almost unchanged as more flexible rules for banks boosted financial stocks, but Singapore Telecommunications continued to stumble. The benchmark Straits Times Index rose 3.1 points, or 0.1 percent, to 3,220.9.
TAIPEI: Taiwanese shares rose slightly on bargain hunting in the construction and food sectors. The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange gained 17.31 points, or 0.2 percent, at 7,859.53.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand's stocks were flat as investors digested mixed corporate news, but brokers suggest the market could push higher as the February reporting season gathers steam. The benchmark NZX-50 was up 3.4 points at 4,188.89 on solid turnover.
SYDNEY: Australian shares rose to record highs, driven by solid performance by mining giant BHP Billiton. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 27.7 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at a record high of 5,927.2.
With files from wire services
