Asian Shares Gain With Russian Stocks on Ukraine; Rubber Slumps

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Asian stocks climbed with Russian shares as the ruble dropped on easing tension in Ukraine. Credit risk in Japan fell and rubber slid to the lowest since 2009.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index added 0.3 percent to 139.09 at 4:07 p.m. in Tokyo as Japan��s Topix closed 0.6 percent higher. Russia��s Micex Index increased 2.2 percent while South Korea��s Kospi Index rose 0.6 percent. The ruble dropped 0.2 percent against the dollar after strengthening the most this month yesterday. Rubber futures lost 4 percent. Financial markets in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are among those that are closed for a holiday.

Four-way talks on the crisis in Ukraine ended with an accord aimed at taking the first steps toward de-escalating the conflict after President Vladimir Putin said he hopes he won��t have to send in troops. New home prices in China rose in 56 of 70 cities last month, statistics bureau data showed. U.S. jobless claims increased less than forecast yesterday, signaling the world��s largest economy is holding up and adding to speculation the Federal Reserve will pare stimulus this year.

The Topix capped a 3.5 percent increase this week in Tokyo. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose 0.3 percent to 1,012.63 for a third day of gains. The Standard & Poor��s 500 Index climbed yesterday in New York for the biggest weekly advance since July as earnings from General Electric Co. and Morgan Stanley beat estimates.

Copy Source : Bloomberg

China Stocks Fall, Capping Steepest Weekly Loss in Month

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Chinese stocks posted their steepest weekly loss in a month, as slowing growth in home prices dragged down smaller real-estate companies and China Merchants Property Development Co. reported a drop in profit.

China Merchants Property fell 1.1 percent to a one-month low. China Fortune Land Development Co. and Jinke Properties Group Co. paced losses for developers after official data showed home prices from the first-tier cities to those less affluent all weakened in March. ZTE Corp., China��s second-biggest phone-equipment maker, advanced 0.8 percent after first-quarter earnings more than tripled.

The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.1 percent to 2,097.75 at the close. Trading volumes were 19 percent below the 30-day average today, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Equity markets including the U.S., Hong Kong and Singapore are closed for a holiday.

The CSI 300 Index slipped less than 0.1 percent to 2,224.48 today, while the Bloomberg China-US 55 Index added 0.7 percent in New York yesterday.

The Shanghai measure slid 1.5 percent this week after official data showed growth in gross domestic product slowed to 7.4 percent in the first quarter from 7.7 percent in the previous period, compared with a 7.5 percent annual target. Industrial production in March and fixed-asset investment for the first three months of the year trailed estimates.

Copy Source : Bloomberg

Tokyo Stocks Close Up 0.68%

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Tokyo stocks rose 0.68 percent in quiet trade Friday as a weaker yen boosted exporter shares following a mixed session on Wall Street.

The Nikkei 225 index added 98.74 points to finish at 14,516.27, while the Topix index of all first-section shares climbed 0.58 percent, or 6.78 points, to 1,173.37.

Most regional markets were closed Friday for the long Easter weekend.

Trading volume was low with many investors sticking to the sidelines after the Nikkei's 7.3 percent tumble last week, its worst weekly showing since Japan's 2011 quake-tsunami disaster.
Exporter shares got a boost as the dollar strengthened to 102.43 in Tokyo, up from 102.39 yen in New York Thursday. A weaker yen inflates the profitability of Japanese exporters.

In Tokyo trade, Toyota rose 0.94 percent to 5,564 yen, Sony gained 1.25 percent to 1,932 yen, while Sharp was up 1.47 percent at 276 yen.

Mobile phone carriers ended mixed with SoftBank adding 0.23 percent to 7,623 yen, while NTT Docomo slipped 0.12 percent to 1,579 yen.

Japanese Shares Rise After Yen Weakens as Ukraine Tensions Ease

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Japanese shares rose in thin trading, with the Topix index headed for its biggest weekly gain this month, after the yen fell yesterday as tensions in Ukraine eased and amid optimism about U.S. earnings.

The Topix gained 0.3 percent to 1,170.04 at the break in Tokyo, with about nine shares rising for every seven that fell. The measure is poised for a 3.2 percent advance this week, the most since the period ended March 28. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 0.6 percent today to 14,504.47. The yen traded at 102.39 per dollar after falling 0.2 percent yesterday.

Source : Bloomberg

China Stocks Head for Steepest Weekly Loss in Month

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China��s stocks fell, sending the benchmark index to its steeply weekly loss in a month, on concern a slowing economy will curb earnings growth.

The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.8 percent to 2,082.43 as of 9:51 a.m. local time. Trading volumes were 13 percent below the 30-day average for this time of day, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Equity markets including the U.S., Hong Kong and Singapore are closed today for a holiday.

The CSI 300 Index declined 1 percent to 2,203.68 today, while the Bloomberg China-US 55 Index added 0.7 percent in New York yesterday.

The Shanghai measure has slid 2.2 percent this week after official data showed growth in gross domestic product slowed to 7.4 percent in the first quarter from 7.7 percent in the previous period, compared with a 7.5 percent annual target. Industrial production in March and fixed-asset investment for the first three months of the year trailed estimates.

Source : Bloomberg