Taiex, Hang Seng decline amid gains

Results were mixed in Asia-Pacific region equities markets on Wednesday, with most higher on the session. Exceptions included Taiwan’s Taiex index, which fell 0.48 percent to 9,711.37. In addition, the Hang Seng index dropped 0.9 percent in Hong Kong. Among gainers, Australia’s S&P/ASX200 was 0.06 percent higher to 6,754.1 while the Sydney Ordinaries added 0.1 percent to 6,779.1. In Singapore the Straits Times index gained 0.19 percent to 3,805.7, while India’s Sensex was up 0.28 percent to 19,837.99. The Kospi index was 0.61 percent higher to 2,064.85 in South Korea, while the Shanghai Composite gained 0.98 percent to 5,954.76.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.52 percent to 16,737.63 and the Topix index added 0.8 percent to 1,620.07, but the Mothers market of small and mid-caps dropped 1.36 percent to 944.06. Copier makers, brewers, auto parts manufacturers and carmakers were higher, but traders declined after crude oil prices fell on Tuesday.

Europe’s markets saw gains. The pan-European FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.75 percent to 1,593.58. The Dax was 0.52 percent higher to 8,019.22, while the IBEX gained 0.68 percent to 15,890.5 and the CAC-40 was up 0.76 percent to 5,847.95. Banks were higher, as were car and truck manufacturers and airlines. Utilities declined on the session.

The FTSE 100 added 0.94 percent to 6,721.6 in London, while the FTSE 250 jumped 1.63 percent to 11,666. Retailers were mixed, with consumer electronics and sporting goods retailers higher but supermarket and department store chains seeing declines. House builders and property developers were up on the day.

After the Federal Reserve announced that it has cut interest rates by another quarter point to 4.5 percent, New York equities markets were mixed at midafternoon after having traded uniformly higher before the decision was released. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.21 percent on the day so far to 13,821 up again after going negative briefly right after the announcement. The Dow had been up by around 100 points earlier in the session. The Nasdaq Composite also remained in positive territory, up 0.45 percent to 2,829.43, while the S&P 500 was 0.01 percent lower to 1,530.91 on the day so far, down 0.11 percent from where it had been before the announcement. Internet search engines were higher.

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