Tokyo equities markets see first gains of the year

Equities markets in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed on Tuesday. Gainers included the Sensex, which added 0.29 percent to 20,873.33 in India. Taiwan’s Taiex was likewise higher, was up 1.01 percent to 7,962.91 after dropping more than 4 percent on Monday. In Tokyo, markets saw their first gains of the new year as the Nikkei 225 gained 0.19 percent to 14,528.67. The Topix index was 0.74 percent higher to 1,403.06 while the Mothers market of small and mid-caps jumped 1.47 percent to 747.84. Japanese shippers saw gains, as did some in the telecommunications sector. Carmakers and the electronics sector were mixed, while drug makers were lower on the session.

Among decliners, the Shanghai Composite was down 0.13 percent to 5,386.53. The Hang Seng, which was led lower by property developers, fell 0.24 percent to 27,112.9. South Korea’s Kospi index was 0.27 percent lower to 1,826.23 while the Straits Times Index dropped 0.44 percent to 3,338.27. In Australia, the S&P/ASX200 was down 0.54 percent to 6,128.1 and the Sydney Ordinaries dropped 0.56 percent to 6,025.7.

Markets were higher in Europe. The pan-European FTSE Eurofirst 300 was up 0.68 percent to 1,467.76. In Madrid, the IBEX was 0.02 percent higher to 14,670.5 while the Dax added 0.42 percent to 7,849.99 in Frankfurt and the CAC-40 gained 0.79 percent to 5,495.67 in Paris. Banks saw declines. So did utilities, retreating from Monday’s gains. Builders and the pharmaceuticals sector were both higher.

London also saw gains, with the FTSE 100 adding 0.33 percent to 6,356.9 and the FTSE 250 gaining 0.68 percent to 10.161.6. Most retailers saw gains and the telecommunications sector was higher. Miners were mixed but mostly higher, while banks and the oil sector were also mixed.

New York equities markets were mixed in midday trade after the National Association of Realtors said that pending home sales were down 2.6 percent in November, much more than had been expected.. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.03 percent lower to 12,823.67 after rising and falling during the session so far, while the Nasdaq Composite was 0.23 percent higher to 2,505.32 and the S&P 500 had added 0.18 percent to 1,418.75. Mortgage lenders were lower after a report that one of the biggest was about to file for bankruptcy, while house builders declined on quarterly losses on excess inventory. Some banks were also lower.

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