HONG KONG, Sept 2: Asian shares closed mostly down on Tuesday as political turmoil in Thailand, the Japanese premier’s surprise resignation and sliding regional currencies darkened the mood.

The Thai market tumbled more than two per centafter Prime Minister Samak Sundarave invoked emergency rule across Bangkok following fatal clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters.

The country’s central bank said it had stepped in to support the baht on Tuesday as the turmoil pushed the Thai currency lower against the dollar.

Investors were braced for national strikes called for Wednesday amid fears of a flight of capital from Thai stocks.

TOKYO: Japanese share prices fell 1.75 per cent, hitting a five-month low after Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda’s abrupt resignation threw Asia’s largest economy into another political crisis.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index fell 224.71 points to end at 12,609.47, the lowest close since March 31. The broader Topix index of all first-section shares declined 18.27 points or 1.48 per centto 1,212.37.

Japan again failed to win the trust of overseas investors, said Hiroyuki Nakai, chief strategist at Tokai Toyo Research Center.

There is already political deadlock and elections are expected in the coming year, said Kazuhiro Takahashi, head of equities at Daiwa Securities SMBC.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong share prices closed 0.7 per cent higher Tuesday as bargain hunting late in the session pushed the bourse into the black, dealers said.

The Hang Seng index rose 136.15 points to 21,042.46 on turnover of 49.37 billion Hong Kong dollars (6.32 billion US).

HSBC was up 0.99 per cent at 122.9 dollars. China Mobile was up 1.43 per cent at 88.75. CNOOC slumped 5.17 per cent at 1.38 after oil prices fell. Refiner Sinopec gained 3.15 per cent at 7.53.

SYDNEY: Australian shares closed little changed, dealers said.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 2.3 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 5,116 and the broader All Ordinaries lost five points to 5,195.

Market turnover reached 1.35 billion securities worth 4.71 billion dollars (3.96 billion US).

The Australian central bank announced its first interest rate cut Tuesday since 2001, but that failed to boost the market.

SINGAPORE: Singapore shares closed 1.66 per cent higher, dealers said.

The blue-chip Straits Times Index surged 45.15 points to 2,758.94. Volume totalled 852 million shares worth 1.15 billion Singapore dollars (804 million US).

Developments in the US will continue to be the main drivers” of Singapore’s market, said Westcomb Securities.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices ended 1.2 per centlower, dealers said.

The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index lost 13.51 points to close at 1,086.99.

Regional markets are in a spin, responding negatively to the political uncertainty in Thailand and the decision by the Japanese premier to resign, a dealer told Dow Jones Newswires.

The stronger US dollar also triggered further selling pressure on equities, he said.

JAKARTA: Indonesian shares closed 0.3 per cent lower, dealers said.

The Jakarta Composite Index fell 5.57 points to 2,159.05.

Bargain buying in most banking shares helped lift the main index from its low, a trader told Dow Jones Newswires.

Coal miner Bumi Resources dropped 4.7 per centto 5,050 rupiah and rival Indotambang fell 2.2 per centto 27,000 on profit taking.

WELLINGTON: New Zealand share prices closed 0.28 per cent higher, dealers said.

The benchmark NZX-50 index rose 9.55 points to 3,367.25.

After the raft of company results in the last week or so, I think the market’s just digesting that and all up they’ve been on balance reasonably in-line to positive, said Bryon Burke of ABN Amro Craigs.

MUMBAI: Indian shares jumped to close up 3.8 per cent, dealers said.

The benchmark 30-share Sensex index leapt 551.35 points to 15,049.86, its highest level in nearly two weeks.

Easing oil prices are a huge relief and we could see the US markets recover a bit, said Bhaskar Kapadia, partner at brokerage Pyramid Securities.

—AFP