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Japan's Nikkei down after holiday break | Japan's Nikkei down after holiday break |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Japan's main share index was lower in early trading on Monday, as Asia's markets reopened for the first full week in 2015. | Japan's main share index was lower in early trading on Monday, as Asia's markets reopened for the first full week in 2015. |
The benchmark Nikkei 225 was down 0.7% at 17,334 despite ending 2014 up 8%. | |
Investors shrugged off data that showed Japan's manufacturing activity grew in December. | |
The Markit/JMMA purchasing managers index (PMI) was at 52, unchanged from November's reading. A score above 50 indicates growth. | |
The dollar, meanwhile, was steady at 120.31 yen, from 120.49 the previous day. | |
However, the euro fell to its lowest since 2006, buying just $1.186, compared to a low of $1.2002 on Friday. | |
A combination of a strong US dollar, a healthy US economy and the possibility of Greece exiting the eurozone exaggerated the fall, on a day when trading was light. | A combination of a strong US dollar, a healthy US economy and the possibility of Greece exiting the eurozone exaggerated the fall, on a day when trading was light. |
China shares mixed | |
In China, shares headed in the opposite direction with the Hang Seng index lower by 0.5% to 23,745. | |
Shares of Macau casino operator Melco Crown fell over 6% after it announced a plan on Friday to withdraw its listing from Hong Kong for "cost savings" reasons. | |
The news came after the world's biggest gaming hub, Macau, recorded its first annual decline in gambling revenue since casinos were liberalised there in 2001. | |
Meanwhile, mainland China shares headed higher with the Shanghai Composite up 0.8% to 3,259 on hopes of further monetary easing by the government to boost the economy. | |
Australia's manufacturing eases | |
Australian shares headed higher on Monday morning, despite a survey showing weakness in the country's manufacturing sector last month. | Australian shares headed higher on Monday morning, despite a survey showing weakness in the country's manufacturing sector last month. |
The Australian Industry Group's PMI fell to 46.9, below the 50 level that indicates growth. | |
Firms reported a sharp drop in new orders in December. | Firms reported a sharp drop in new orders in December. |
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.3% to 5,453. | |
In South Korea, the Kospi was lower 0.8% to 1,910.6 after closing up 0.6% on Friday. |