Gains outnumber losses in mixed Asia-Pacific equities

Asia-Pacific equities markets were mixed again on Tuesday. Among the gainers, the Straits Times index was up 0.18 percent to 3,527.87 in Singapore while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was 0.77 percent higher to 28,879.59. The Taiex added 0.79 percent to 8,651.28 in Taiwan while in South Korea the Kospi index gained 0.81 percent to 1,917.83. The Shanghai Composite was up 0.97 percent to 4,915.89. On the losing side, Australia’s S&P/ASX200 fell 0.04 percent to 6,530.8 and the Sydney Ordinaries were down 0.13 percent to 6,588.8 while in India the Sensex was 0.38 percent lower to 19,529.5.

Tokyo’s markets were lower as well. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.95 percent to 15,480.19 while the Topix index was down 1.09 percent to 1,515.5 and the Mothers market fell 0.98 percent to 911.89. The steel sector, shippers and traders, construction machinery manufacturers, car makers, banks and the electronics sector were all lower.

Equities markets declined in Europe. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 1.32 percent to 1,500.47. In Madrid, the IBEX was down 0.17 percent to 15,708.2 while the Dax was 0.36 percent lower to 7,808.94 and the Paris CAC-40 fell 1.46 percent to 5,547.21. Stock exchange operators, industrial gases groups and the oil sector saw gains. The steel sector as well as carmakers and airlines, however, all saw declines.

In London the FTSE 100 was 1.12 percent lower to 6,315.2 while the FTSE 250 dropped 2.76 percent to 10,268.9. Miners, the oil sector, mortgage lenders and insurers all saw gains. On the other hand, home builders and other construction groups, property developers and investors, banks, and their airlines sector all dropped on the session.

Wall Street was lower in mid-afternoon trade on Tuesday ahead of next week‘s decision on interest rates by the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones Industrial average was 0.13 percent lower to 13,297.66 while the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.26 percent to 2,630.22 and the S&P 500 had dropped 0.33 percent to 1,467.62. Banks, brokers and car makers were all lower on the session.

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