Among Asian bourses
Nikkei hits 15-year intraday high
Japanese share market finished the session higher, after hitting a 15 years peak during intraday, as better than expected trade data and hopes for a compromise over Greece's debt boosted sentiment. The Nikkei 225 stock index ended 0.36% higher at 18264.79, after touching an intraday peak of 18,322.50 that was the benchmark's highest level since May 2000. The broader Topix added 0.8% to 1,494.93, its strongest close since December 2007.
Shares of exporters and shipping lines advanced the most in Tokyo market today, after the government reported the trade deficit plunged nearly 60% on a 17% year-on-year jump in exports in January. Shipping line Mitsui O.S.K. rose 2.9% to 432 yen. Machinery maker Fanuc Corp. rose 0.3% to 2310 yen.
Electronics and entertainment giant Sony Corp. gained 1.7% to 3227 yen after forecasting a surge in operating earnings. The company forecast operating profit will reach 500 billion yen ($4.2 billion) in the year ending March 2018, the highest since 1998.
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Shares of financial companies also ended higher. Mitsubishi UFJ gained 3.6% to 770.2 yen. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. added 2.6% to 4,687 yen, while Mizuho Financial Group Inc. climbed 3.6% to 218.2 yen.
Trend Micro gained 6.6% to 3,625 yen, after anti -virus software maker forecasted net income of 22.6 billion yen for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31.
Australia stocks fall on profit booking
The Australian share market ended down after evaporating early gains, as flood of mixed earnings results and lack of any big macroeconomic news triggering profit booking, with shares of the realty, materials and energy sectors being major losers. The S&P/ASX200 closed 11.50 points, or 0.19%, lower at 5904.20, while the All Ordinaries de-grew 8.10 points, or 0.16%, to 5869.80. Market turnover was relatively strong, with 1.59 billion shares changing hands worth of A$5.17 billion. Total of 726 stocks were up, while remaining 632 closed down.
Banks and financial stocks closed down. Westpac Banking Corp and National Australia Bank both dropped 0.1% to A$37.95 and A$37.71, respectively. ANZ Bank fell 0.4% to A$35. Commonwealth Bank added 0.5% to $91.14. AMP rallied 2.5% to A$6.66 after its profit rose by a third, prompting it to hike its dividend
An overnight drop in global oil prices weighed on energy producers. Woodside Petroleum shed 0.9% to A$36.13. BHP Billiton fell 1.5% higher at A$32.50. Santos lost 0.7% to A$8.24. Drillsearch Energy tumbled 5.8% to A$0.97, after posting a 60% slump in first-half profit and withholding a dividend.
The consumer staple sector was also down after Wesfarmers reported lower profit. The conglomerate's shares shed 1.6% to A$45.18, despite showing an 8.3% rise in half-year net profit from continuing operations and lifting the interim dividend.
Casino operator Crown Resorts declined 2.4% to A$0.20, after announcing 47% fall in half-year results to A$201.8 million. Fairfax shares rallied 2.3% to A$0.91 after surprising investors with a share-buyback program, even as it reported a 86% drop in first-half net profit.
Junior telecommunications provider iiNet was down 11.1% to A$6.41, as it missed expectations showing underlying interim profit growth of just 1%.
Sensex trades in negative zone
Indian benchmark indices continued to hover in a narrow range in negative zone in afternoon trade. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was negative. At 13:16 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was off 78.15 points or 0.27% at 29,242.11. The CNX Nifty was down 34.85 points or 0.39% at 8,834.25.
Shares of public sector oil marketing companies rose as global crude oil prices fell. Ambuja Cements fell after the company reported small growth in Q3 net profit. Shares of other cement stocks also edged lower. IT stocks were mixed.
Foreign portfolio investors bought Indian shares worth a net Rs 2187.96 crore yesterday, 18 February 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 327.87 crore yesterday, 18 February 2015, as per provisional data.
Elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region: New Zealand's NZX50 dropped 0.26% to 5726.23. Exchanges in China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore were closed for holidays. South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore reopen Monday, while mainland markets resume on Wednesday.
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