Australia markets add over 1 percent

Asia-Pacific equities markets were mixed Thursday. South Korea’s Kospi index ended just 0.28 percent higher at 1,908.68 when the central bank there raised interest rates. In Taiwan, the Taiex index added 0.91 percent to 9,182.6. Australia’s equities markets were higher as well, with the Sydney Ordinaries 1.03 percent higher to 6,187.7, while the S&P/ASX200 gained 1.06 percent to 6,165.6. The Shanghai Composite added 1.95 percent to 4,754.1. Among the day’s losers was the Hang Seng index, which dropped 0.43 percent to 22,439.36 in Hong Kong. Additionally, the Sensex was 1.36 percent lower to 15,100.15 in India.

Tokyo’s equities markets were mixed as the Nikkei 225 gained 0.8 percent to 17,170.6 and the Topix index was up 0.9 percent to 1,683.81. The Mothers market was down again, however, falling 0.88 percent to 776.86. Electronics manufacturers were higher, as was the oil sector and railways. Retailers also saw gains.

European markets were lower on intensifying worries concerning the subprime sector. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 1.82 percent to 1,526.04. In Madrid the IBEX dropped 1.11 percent to 14,838.3, while the Dax was 2 percent lower to 7,453.59 in Frankfurt and the Paris CAC-40 dropped 5,624.78. Banks and other financial services groups were lower, but so were airlines. Some carmakers were higher, as were some in the telecommunications sector.

The markets in London also saw declines as the FTSE 100 fell 1.92 percent to 6,271.2 and the FTSE 250 was 2 percent lower to 11,225.5. The financial services sector was mixed on the session, while media, defense contractors and power transmitters were up. Some miners and the pharmaceuticals sector saw declines.

Wall Street was lower in early afternoon trade, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average 1.17 percent lower to 13,497.47. The Nasdaq Composite had dropped 0.99 percent to 2,587.07 and the S&P 500 was 1.47 percent lower to 1,475.54. The financial services sector was hurt again by trouble in the subprime sector, while some retailers were lower on slow sales in July.

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