Markets mixed on session

Asian and Pacific equities markets were mixed on Tuesday. In Australia, the Sydney Ordinaries were 0.35 percent lower to 6,350.2, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong dropped 0.4 percent to 20,843.92. Gainers on the day included India’s Sensex, which added 0.24 percent to 14,453.72, and the Straits Times index in Singapore, which was 0.72 percent higher to 3,539.82. Meanwhile, in China, both the Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Composite closed at new record highs on the session, with the Shanghai up 0.9 percent to 4,110.38 and the Shenzhen 1.4 percent higher to 1,198.41.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.7 percent to 17,680.05, while the Topix gained 1.2 percent to close at 1,731.54. In addition, the Mothers market of small-and mid-cap stocks was up 4.5 percent to 843.46, although it remained near record lows.

European equities markets were mixed as well. While the Dax in Frankfurt ended the session 0.53 percent higher to 7,659,39 and the Paris CAC-40 closed virtually even at 6.089.72, the Eurofirst 300 dropped 0.03 percent to 1,597.6. London markets were also lower, with the FTSE 100 down 0.46 percent to 6,606.6 and the FTSE 250 falling 0.21 percent to 12, 176.3

The New York equities markets were lower at midday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq composite each down 0.1 percent, to 13,535.16 and 2,576.16 respectively. The S&P 500 had dropped 0.2 percent to 1,522.57

Commodities prices were lower. West Texas Intermediate crude oil dropped more than $1 per barrel by early afternoon in New York, while gold dropped almost $4 per ounce. Corn, wheat and soybeans also were lower on the Chicago Board of Trade.

The US dollar was mixed against major currencies, while the Philippine peso hit its highest level against the greenback in almost seven years and the yen strengthened against the euro. Prices were lower and yields higher on US Treasury bonds.

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