By Michael Kitchen
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Asian stocks turned mixed late Monday after trading solidly lower earlier in the day, as Hong Kong, Seoul and Mumbai indexes all moved into positive territory. In the final hour of trading, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 0.2% and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index was 0.5%, helped by gains in financials, with China Contruction Bank Corp. (HK:939 6.05, +0.06, +1.00%) (CICHF 0.77, 0.00, 0.00%) rising 1.2%. Korea's Kospi also pulled into the black, trading 0.3% higher, with Hynix Semiconductor Inc. (HXSCF 19.58, -0.91, -4.44%) up 1.5%, reversing from an over-3% loss, as hopes rose for the chip maker's planned stake sale. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 Average managed to finish 0.1% higher, though the broader Topix ended down 0.3%, as recalls sent Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203 3,490, -70.00, -1.97%) (TM 77.00, -0.67, -0.86%) down 1.2% and Honda Motor Co. (JP:7267 3,075, -65.00, -2.07%) (HMC 33.91, -0.56, -1.62%) down 2.5%. Elsewhere, the Shanghai Composite ended down 1.6%, Sydney's S&P/ASX 200 finished off 1%, and in Mumbai, the Sensex was 0.1% lower, while the CNX/Nifty was up 0.3%. |
