Asian markets mixed as trading resumes
BEIJING - Asian markets were mixed Thursday as trading resumed in some countries following the Christmas break.
Oil stayed above $99 per barrel.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 gained 0.9 percent
to 16,154.37 as the yen weakened against the dollar, giving a possible boost to
exporters. China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 1.3 percent to
2,078.96 as concern about a credit shortage in the Chinese interbank market
faded.
Taipei shares were up 0.3 percent at
8,490.93, and Seoul gained 0.1 percent to 2,003.66. Singapore and Manila also
gained. India's Sensex gained 0.3 percent to 21,088.52.
Markets in Hong Kong, Sydney and New
Zealand were closed. In Europe, exchanges in Paris, London and Frankfurt also
were closed.
China's Cabinet expects this year's
economic growth to be 7.6 percent, down slightly from 2012's 7.7 percent, the
official Xinhua News Agency said.
In foreign exchange markets, the dollar
edged up to 104.68 yen. The euro was trading at $1.368.
Crude oil for February delivery gained
29 cents to $99.51 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile
Exchange. The contract rose 31 cents to settle at $99.22 the previous day.