Asia report: Markets finish mixed after Wall Street boost

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was down 0.13% at 22,764.68, as the yen weakened 0.19% against the dollar to last trade at JPY 113.08.

Banks, steel producers and semiconductor manufacturers were higher in Tokyo, with Advantest adding 3.36%, while consumer plays and electricity companies fell.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite slid 0.51% to 2,772.98, and the smaller, technology-heavy Shenzhen Composite tripped 0.79% to 1,575.58.

Airlines were lower on weakness in renminbi, with Air China down 5.03% and China Eastern Airlines off 5%.

South Korea’s Kospi was 0.34% lower at 2,282.29, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong was off 0.38% at 28,010.86.

Once again the blue-chip technology stocks went against the market in Seoul, while steel producers fell after an EU announcement over measures to target steel imports, leading Posco to tumble 1.41%.

Markets in the region had started the session with a bang, after a good close on Wall Street overnight after strong earnings reports from rail firm CSX and Morgan Stanley, which both ended the quarter in better-than-expected positions.

According to analysis from FactSet, earnings on the S&P 500 are expected to have leapt 20% higher in the second quarter.

At this stage, with less than 10% of companies having reported, earnings are 22.1% higher.

Oil prices were lower, with Brent crude last down 0.82% at $72.31 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate off 0.75% at $68.25.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.28% to close at 6,262.70, led higher by the hefty financials and industrials subindexes.

Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 was down 0.3% to 8,917.59, led lower by specialise dairy exporter A2 Milk, which lost 2.4%.

The down under dollars were both weaker on the greenback, with the Aussie last off 0.91% at AUD 1.3641 and the Kiwi retreating 1.05% to NZD 1.4876.