Tokyo markets mixed on session

Tokyo’s markets were mixed on the day Thursday. The Nikkei 225 added 0.61 percent to 16,257, but the Topix index dropped 0.1 percent to 1,568.52 and the Mothers market was 0.79 percent lower to 711.44.

Equities markets throughout the Asia-Pacific region were mixed as well, with the Shanghai Composite adding 1.56 percent to 5,393.66. Other regional markets that saw advances included the Kospi, which added 1.24 percent to 1,888,81 in South Korea. In Taiwan, the Taiex gained 1.16 percent to 9,017.08, while the Sensex gained 1.1 percent to 15,616.31 in India. The Straits Times index was higher to close at 3,466.06 in Singapore. The Hang Seng index was 0.08 percent lower to 24,050.4 in Hong Kong as investors took profits after two days of market gains. Meanwhile in Australia, the Sydney Ordinaries dropped 0.14 percent to 6,265.3 and the S&P/ASX200 fell 0.19 percent to 6,251 after exporters declined on more bad news out of the US housing market.

Most European markets were higher on the session after the European Central Bank voted to keep interest rates at 4 percent. Madrid’s IBEX, however, dropped 0.29 percent to 14,198.4. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.17 percent higher to 1,525.2. In Frankfurt, the Dax added 0.44 percent to 7,621.72, while the CAC-40 was up 0.45 percent to 5,576.62 in Paris. London’s markets saw gains as the FTSE 100 added 0.68 percent to 6,313.3 and the FTSE 250 gained 0.27 percent to 11,330.8 after the Bank of England‘s Monetary Policy Committee held interest rates steady as well.

The New York markets were up in early afternoon trade. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.52 percent higher to 13,374.73, while the Nasdaq Composite had added 0.23 percent to 2,612.03 and the S&P 500 was 0.33 percent higher to 1,477.21.

Crude oil prices slipped back in New York after going above $77 per barrel but still remained higher than yesterday’s close, while metals prices also saw gains on new geopolitical tensions.

Prices for grains were lower, but wheat reached yet another new high before retreating.

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