MARKET COMMENT: Asian Summary: Asian Shares Mixed; Japan Outperforms

0601 GMT [Dow Jones] ASIAN SUMMARY: Regional markets are mixed Friday, digesting the DJIA hitting another fresh high Thursday and China's economic data release. The Nikkei rises 2.4%, the S&P/ASX gains 0.3%, the HSI adds 1.8%, the Kospi falls 0.1%, the Taiex is up 0.7%, the Sensex is 0.7% higher, the Shanghai Composite drops 0.1%, the STI is down 0.1%, and the NZX-50 advances 0.5%. In FX markets, the yen continues to weaken against the U.S. dollar and the euro on hopes for further aggressive easing policies from the BOJ. The EUR/USD is at 1.3092 from 1.3106 late Thursday in New York, the EUR/JPY is at 124.83 from 124.23, and the USD/JPY is at 95.35 from 94.83. China's trade surplus narrows in February to $15.25 billion from $29.15 billion in January, compared with an expected deficit of $16.0 billion. Exports rise 21.8% on month in February, slower than January's 25.0% rise, but much quicker than the expected 5.0% rise. Imports fall 15.2%, compared with a 28.8% rise in January and an expected decline of 10.0%. The second reading on Japan's 4Q GDP shows a 0.2% price-adjusted increase vs the previous reading of a 0.4% contraction released last month. Japan posts its third straight current account deficit in January at Y364.8 billion before seasonal adjustments, down 19.9% from a year earlier. Spot gold is at $1,576.60/oz, down $2.00 from the NY close. April Nymex crude oil futures are down 22 cents at $91.34/bbl. (lillian.ying@dowjones.com)


  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  03-08-130116ET
  Copyright (c) 2013 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.