Asian markets gain

Upbeat sentiment going into the third-quarter earnings season gave
Asian markets a boost on Wednesday as resources chips were lifted by
rising commodities prices. Hong Kong added 1.95 percent, Sydney rose
0.95 percent and Seoul 1.24 percent, while Taipei was 1.31 percent
up. Shanghai rose 1.17 percent, helped by customs data showing the
rate of decline in China's exports was at its slowest in nine months.
Crude rose further to around 74 dollars a barrel as the dollar
continued to struggle against other currencies, while gold surged
above 1 ,070 dollars an ounce for the first time. TOKYO: Down 0.16
percent. The Nikkei-225 index fell 16.35 points to 10 , 060.21.
Mazda Motor slid 6.4 percent to 220 yen. HONG KONG: Up 1.95
percent. The Hang Seng Index rose 419.12 points to 21 , 886.48.
SYDNEY: Up 0.95 percent. The S&P/ASX200 added 45.4 points to 4
,831.1. SHANGHAI: Up 1.17 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index,
which covers both A and B shares, rose 34.34 points to 2 , 970.53.
SEOUL: Up 1.24 percent. The KOSPI gained 20.16 points at 1 , 649.09.
TAIPEI: Up 1.31 percent. The weighted index rose 99.15 points to 7 ,
695.75. SINGAPORE: Up 1.50 percent. The Straits Times Index advanced
40.08 points to 2 , 708.48. BANGKOK: Down 2.04 percent. The Stock
Exchange of Thailand plunged 15.20 points to close at 731.47. KUALA
LUMPUR: Up 1.08 percent. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index gained
13.33 points to 1 , 246.84. JAKARTA: Up 1.61 percent. The Jakarta
Composite Index gained 39.73 points to 2 , 511.72. MANILA: Flat. The
index edged up 0.61 points, or 0.02 percent, to 2 , 930.70. MUMBAI:
Up 1.2 percent. The 30- share Sensex index rose 204.44 points to a
17- month high of 17 , 231.11.