Asia-Pacific markets mixed

Equities markets in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed on Monday, with most moves in either direction limited. Among gainers, the Straits Times index added 0.01 percent to 3,521.56 in Singapore. Australia’s S&P/ASX200 was also up 0.01 percent to 6,533.5 while the Sydney Ordinaries gained 0.05 percent to 6,597.2. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was 0.05 percent higher to 28,658.42, while the biggest gains on a major index came in India where the Sensex jumped 1.24 percent to 19,603.41. Among losers, Taiwan’s Taiex dropped 0.03 percent to 8,583.84 while the Shanghai Composte was down 0.07 percent to 4,868.61. The Kospi index fell 0.19 percent to 1,902.43 in South Korea.

Tokyo’s markets were mixed as the Nikkei 225 fell 0.33 percent to 15,628.97 but the Topix index added 0.02 percent to 1,532.16 and the Mothers market of small and mid-caps gained 3.81 percent to 920.63. Exporters, from camera makers to automobile manufacturers declined, but banks were higher on hopes that an announcement from US Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson would soon be made that an agreement has been reached with US banks to freeze interest rates on some subprime mortgages.

Europe’s equities markets were lower on the session. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 0.4 percent to 1,520.55. In Madrid the IBEX fell 0.16 percent to 15,735 while the Dax was down 0.42 percent to 7,837.26 in Frankfurt and the Paris CAC-40 was 0.42 percent lower to 7,837.26. Retailers and media groups were higher, while auto manufacturers and airlines saw declines.

In London, the FTSE 100 dropped 0.71 percent to 6,386.6 while the FTSE 250 was down 1.76 percent to 10,560. Retailers were higher. Banks, the insurance sector, pubs operators and miners all saw declines on the session, however.

On Wall Street just before the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.49 percent lower to 13,305.87 while the Nasdaq Composite had dropped 0.89 percent to 2,637.15 and the S&P 500 was down 0.67 percent to 1,471.2. The retail sector saw gains but banks, carmakers, computer and software manufacturers and internet-related shares all saw declines.

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