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HONG KONG, Feb 16 (AFP): Asian stocks closed mostly higher Thursday after overnight gains on Wall Street and reassuring comments on the US economy from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.
MUMBAI: Share prices closed up 0.11 percent, boosted by plans by leading drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories to buy a German generic pharmaceutical company.
Dealers said buying was seen in pharmaceutical, consumer goods and software stocks.
The 30-share Sensex index rose 11.12 points to 10,124.30.
TOKYO: Share prices ended in positive territory as investors took their cue from buoyant US markets, although worries over a looming end to Japan's loose monetary policy capped gains.
The Nikkei-225 index rose 110.84 points or 0.70 percent to 16,043.67 on subdued turnover of 1.75 billion shares.
SEOUL: Share prices closed 0.80 percent higher, recovering from a dip below the key 1,300 points level as investors bought into KEPCO, IT and bank stocks.
The KOSPI index closed up 10.48 points at 1,314.32. Volume was 306 million shares worth 4.0 trillion won (4.1 billion dollars).
HONG KONG: Share prices closed 0.18 percent higher, with trading paced largely by property stocks as cuts in mortgage loan rates buoyed sentiment on the sector.
The Hang Seng index closed up 27.62 points at 15,450.88. Turnover was 31.83 billion Hong Kong dollars (4.1 billion US).
TAIPEI: Share prices closed 1.29 percent higher following Wall Street's gains overnight and a further retreat in oil prices.
The weighted index closed up 85.44 points at 6,683.93 on turnover of 104.22 billion Taiwan dollars (3.22 billion US).
SHANGHAI: Share prices closed sharply lower, giving up 2.19 percent for the worst single-day loss this year, with automakers and energy stocks under pressure.
The Shanghai A-share Index fell 29.80 points to 1,332.85 on turnover of 15.50 billion yuan (1.91 billion dollars) while the Shenzhen A-share Index was down 8.82 points at 320.73 on turnover of 8.97 billion yuan.
SYDNEY: Share prices closed down 0.3 percent as investor sentiment was soured by a fall in commodity prices and the failure of company earnings to meet expectations.
SINGAPORE: Share prices closed 0.43 percent higher boosted by forecasts of stronger economic growth and overnight gains on Wall Street.
The Straits Times Index closed up 10.49 points at 2,434.66 on volume of 1.13 billion shares worth 1.07 billion Singapore dollars (656 million US).
KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices closed with a marginal gain of 0.10 percent as investors lacked the conviction of a fresh lead to give direction.
The composite index rose 0.93 points to 928.10 and volume was 888.36 million shares worth 1.06 billion ringgit (286 million dollars).
BANGKOK: Share prices closed 1.30 percent higher as investors rallied after a court put to rest political uncertainties by ruling not to investigate Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for alleged constitutional violations.
The composite index jumped 9.43 points to 735.16 on turnover of 4.43 billion shares worth 21.2 billion baht (543 million dollars).
JAKARTA: Share prices closed flat after a rebound in state gas firm PGN pushed the market back into positive territory.
The composite index added 0.931 points to 1,237.874 on 838.43 million shares worth 940.82 billion rupiah (102.09 million dollars).
MANILA: Share prices closed 0.11 percent higher, a marginal gain as investors chose to stay on the sidelines in the absence of fresh, compelling leads.
The composite index rose 2.33 points to 2,076.42. Volume was 910.96 million shares worth 873.96 million pesos (16.9 million dollars).
WELLINGTON: Share prices closed 0.59 percent lower as market leader Telecom came under further pressure.
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