Asia shares mostly down
In this May 7, 2014, file photo, a man looks at an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo. Asian markets broadly fell Monday despite an uptick on Wall Street, while traders keep an eye on the release of key indicators out of China and Japan later in the week. AP PHOTO/EUGENE HOSHIKO
HONG KONG—Asian markets broadly fell Monday despite an uptick on Wall Street, while traders keep an eye on the release of key indicators out of China and Japan later in the week.
Tokyo lost 0.64 percent, or 90.15 points, to finish at 14,006.44, Sydney eased 1.28 percent, or 70 points, to 5409.0 and Shanghai tumbled 1.05 percent, or 21.32 points, to 2,005.18.
Seoul closed flat, edging up 1.7 points to 2,015.14 and Hong Kong also ended almost unchanged, edging down 8.41 points to 22,704.50.
US shares finished slightly higher on Friday after upbeat earnings from retailers JC Penney and Nordstrom, while the Commerce Department said overall housing starts rose 13.2 percent in April from March.
The Dow rose 0.27 percent, the S&P 500 added 0.37 percent and the Nasdaq gained 0.52 percent.
Japanese traders were given a lift on Monday by figures showing machinery orders, a leading indicator of corporate capital spending in the country, jumped 19.1 percent on-month in March.
The figure beat forecasts of a 6.2 percent rise as firms stocked up ahead of the introduction of a sales tax hike on April 1.
With few catalysts to drive buying, investors are looking to the release of Japanese trade data on Wednesday as well as the Bank of Japan’s latest policy meeting.
Thursday will see HSBC release its preliminary results on May manufacturing activity in China, with analysts hoping for signs of a pick-up in the world’s No. 2 economy.
The British banking giant will also unveil its early results for the eurozone and United States later in the day.
On foreign exchange markets Monday, the dollar was at 101.39 yen compared with 101.54 yen.
The euro bought $1.3715 and 139.09 yen against $1.3695 and 139.08 yen.
Oil prices edged higher following the outbreak of violence in crude producer Libya after a rogue general attempted a coup, raising concerns about potential supply disruptions, analysts said.
The US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in June, rose 56 cents to $102.58 in afternoon trade, while Brent North Sea crude for July rose 40 cents to $110.15.
Gold fetched $1,299.89 an ounce at 1045 GMT compared with $1,293.51 late Thursday.
In other markets:
— Bangkok added 0.38 percent, or 5.37 points, to 1,410.63.
Charoen Pokphand Foods gained 2.78 percent to 27.75 baht, while Siam Cement lost 0.96 percent to 414.00 baht.
— Kuala Lumpur rose 0.20 percent, or 3.73 points, to finish at 1,887.07.
Tenaga Nasional rose 1.16 percent to 12.20 ringgit, Maybank added 0.30 percent to 9.98 ringgit, while Malaysia Airlines dipped 18.42 percent to 0.16 ringgit.
— Singapore was flat, falling 0.16 points, to 3,262.43.
United Overseas Bank rose 0.18 percent to Sg$22.55 while oil rig maker Keppel Corp. eased 0.10 percent to Sg$10.56.
— Jakarta closed down 0.33 percent, or 16.58 points, to 5,014.996.
Internet and cable TV operator First Media Tbk rose 19.69 percent to 1,550 rupiah, while cement maker Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa lost 3.25 percent to 23,100 rupiah.
— Mumbai rose 1.0 percent, or 241.31 points, to end at 24,363.05 points.
Jaiprakash Power Ventures surged 30.24 percent to 23.73 rupees, while MMTC climbed 19.97 percent to 74.20 rupees.
— Taipei rose 0.13 percent, or 11.45 points, to 8,899.90.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. closed 0.82 percent lower at Tw$121.0 while Hon Hai Precision rose 1.13 percent to Tw$89.8.
— Wellington slipped 0.35 percent, or 18.41 points, to 5,167.78.
Fletcher Building shed 0.3 percent to NZ$9.10 and Trade Me slipped 1.9 percent to NZ$3.65.
— Manila added 0.78 percent, or 53.19 points, 6,870.90.
BDO Unibank rose 0.11 percent to 88.65 pesos while Metropolitan Bank and Trust gained 1.96 percent to 88.50 pesos.
