Asian markets mixed; Nikkei ends above 10k

Increasing capacity utilisation in Japanese factories helped the Nikkei to close above 10,00 for the first time since October.

Nikkei gained 155 points (1.5%) to 10,136.The Hang Seng added 98 points to 18,889.

The Taiwan Weighted shed 119 points (2%) to 6,448. The Shanghai Composite dropped 54 points (2%) to 2,744.

The Straits Times and the Seoul Composite were flat at 2,373 and 1,429, respectively.
__________________________________________________
(Updated at 1109 hrs0

Optimistic Chinese industrial output data and a rise in U.S. retail sales has helped Asian markets to trade in green this morning.

The Hand Seng has gained 233 points (1.2%) at 19,024. The Nikkei has added 178 points (2%) to 10,160.

The Seoul Composite has advanced nine points to 1,429. The Straits Times is flat at 2,382.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Weighted has slipped 86 points (1.3%) to 6,481. The Shanghai Composite has declined 18 points to 2,779.
_____________________________________________________
(Updated at 0820 hrs)

The Hang Seng has soared 291 points (1.5%) to 19,082.

The Nikkei has advanced 95 points to 10,076. The stock average rose about 1% to rise to its highest level in eight months on Friday as there was new confidence about the improvement in the global economy which led to broad based gains.

The Shanghai Composite is up nine points at 2,806.

The Straits Times is marginally up at 2,386 and the Seoul Composite has added eight points to 1,428.

While the Taiwan Composite has slipped four points to 6,563.