TOKYO, Dec 26: Asian stocks were mixed on Friday, in light trading with several markets still closed for the Christmas holiday and investors bracing themselves for a grim new year, dealers said.

Tokyo closed up 1.63 per cent to a six-week high as dealers brushed aside more grim economic data and welcomed an easing of the yen, whose recent spike has scared exporters.

Sydney and Hong Kong were closed. Shanghai was flat and Seoul fell 0.94 per cent as dealers reported thin trade across Asia and low confidence.

Amid lingering concerns over the global economy, market confidence remained weak, said Capital Securities analyst Chen Yu-yu, referring to trading in Taipei where shares rose 0.26 per cent.

So, bargain hunting failed to boost interest to significantly lift the broader market. In Tokyo, dealers sought out holiday bargains after this year’s heavy falls but volume was thin there, as elsewhere, with many dealers away for the holiday season.

Before the opening bell, Japan said production fell at the fastest rate on record in November as firms closed factories and cut jobs due to slumping demand brought on by the global economic crisis.

There can be another wave of tough news anytime early next year, he said.

Players will be restless as they ring in the new year. Manila and Wellington were also still closed for Christmas.

TOKYO: Japanese share prices closed up 1.63 per cent.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s benchmark Nikkei index rose 140.02 points to close at 8,739.52, its highest close since November 11.

The broader Topix index of all the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section issues gained 10.56 points or 1.26 per cent to 846.58.

Volume was thin at just under 1.13 billion shares.

Internet and telecom giant Softbank Corp. ended up 5.2 per cent. Memory chip maker Elpida Memory gained 3.8 per cent.

SINGAPORE: Singapore shares closed 0.66 per cent lower.

The blue-chip Straits Times Index ended down 11.38 points at 1,725.61 on volume of 278 million shares worth 217 million Singapore dollars (150 million US).

Sembcorp was up five cents to 2.30, while local airline Singapore Airlines fell six cents to 11.26.

United Overseas Bank was down 36 cents to 12.12 and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp shedding 10 cents to 4.95. DBS was unchanged at 9.25.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian shares closed 0.3 per cent lower.

The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index lost 2.27 points to close at 867.35 with a thin volume of 178 million shares worth 156.34 million ringgit (45 million dollars).

KNM ended down 1.2 percent at 0.40 ringgit while BAT dropped 1.7 per cent to 44 ringgit. Tanjong slid 2.2 per cent to 13.20 ringgit.

TA Ann ended up 11.9 per cent at 3.30 ringgit as LPI rose 2.2 per cent to 9.45 ringgit. Maybank climbed two per cent to 5.15 ringgit.

JAKARTA: Indonesian shares ended 0.3 per cent higher.

The Jakarta Composite Index rose 4.28 points to 1,340.89.

Bank Mandiri closed 1.3 per cent higher at 2,025 rupiah while Bank Negara ended three per cent up at 680.

Cellular provider Indosat rose 3.7 per cent to 5,600 rupiah.

MUMBAI: Indian shares fell 2.51 per cent.

The benchmark 30-share Sensex index fell 239.8 points to 9,328.92 as investors unwound positions on concerns of weak corporate quarterly earnings in January, dealers said.—AFP