ZHANG: Asian shares were mostly higher Monday, as soaring oil and commodity prices actually boosted a number of regional-linked stocks. Australian shares posted a fourth straight gain, led by resource firms like Woodside Petroleum and top miner BHP Billiton. In Tokyo, the Nikkei hit a 4-month peak, led by Nippon Steel on reports that the company had agreed with automakers to hike sheet steel prices. Meanwhile, trading firms, as well as oil company Inpex Holdings, rose on the record oil prices. The Nikkei has now gained 22 percent from a year low in March. Taiwan stocks hit a fresh year peak, boosted on hopes of better economic conditions under the new President and possible stronger China business ties. But Seoul shares broke the upward trend, ending lower after the benchmark KOSPI touched a year peak last week. Technology bellwethers like Samsung Electronics fell, although profits outlooks were expected to support prices.

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ANCHOR: Seoul shares ended lower after volatile trading today, led by automakers and some banks, with the positive impact of news of a US government-backed bailout of Citigroup lasting only briefly. Kia Motors plunged nearly 15 percent after South Korea’s No. 2 auto maker said it was paying off 300 million euros worth of debt due on Monday in cash. Chinese stocks dropped sharply on Monday, led by property shares, as concern about the market’s ability to absorb fresh supplies of equity outweighed optimism over China’s economic stimulus package. Hong Kong shares fell 1.2 percent, with financial stocks hit as the fate of US banking giant Citigroup remained undecided and on reports of a billion capital raising plan by Standard Chartered. The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended the morning session 150.68 points lower at 12508.52. Taiwan stocks fell a quarter of a percent as technology shares declined ahead of data due out later in the day that is expected to be gloomy. Investors largely ignored a Wall Street rally as they took cues from losses in other Asian stocks.

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Kia Motors plunged nearly 15 percent after South Korea’s No. 2 auto maker said it was paying off 300 million euros worth of debt due on Monday in cash.

Chinese stocks dropped sharply on Monday, led by property shares, as concern about the market’s ability to absorb fresh supplies of equity outweighed optimism over China’s economic stimulus package.

Hong Kong shares fell 1.2 percent, with financial stocks hit as the fate of U.S. banking giant Citigroup remained undecided and on reports of a $3 billion capital raising plan by Standard Chartered.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended the morning session 150.68 points lower at 12,508.52.

Taiwan stocks fell a quarter of a percent as technology shares declined ahead of data due out later in the day that is expected to be gloomy.

Investors largely ignored a Wall Street rally as they took cues from losses in other Asian stocks.

Duration : 0:1:20

[youtube Oifja1EXOyU]

Kia Motors plunged nearly 15 percent after South Korea’s No. 2 auto maker said it was paying off 300 million euros worth of debt due on Monday in cash.

Chinese stocks dropped sharply on Monday, led by property shares, as concern about the market’s ability to absorb fresh supplies of equity outweighed optimism over China’s economic stimulus package.

Hong Kong shares fell 1.2 percent, with financial stocks hit as the fate of U.S. banking giant Citigroup remained undecided and on reports of a $3 billion capital raising plan by Standard Chartered.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended the morning session 150.68 points lower at 12,508.52.

Taiwan stocks fell a quarter of a percent as technology shares declined ahead of data due out later in the day that is expected to be gloomy.

Investors largely ignored a Wall Street rally as they took cues from losses in other Asian stocks.

Duration : 0:1:20

[youtube Oifja1EXOyU]

Japan’s Nikkei fell 3 percent (12,918) in a broad-based sell-off that tracked Friday losses on Wall Street.

A nasty earnings surprise from U.S. giant General Electric and data showing U.S. consumer sentiment hit a 26-year low rattled investors across the globe.

China shares were also hurt, with Shanghai property firms among the biggest losers. Shanghai A shares lost 5.6 percent.

Worries about rising inflation have been spooking China investors, and fresh inflation data is due out later this week.

In Hong Kong, China plays such as China Mobile slumped after authorities stopped them from listing their shares in Shanghai amid weak sentiment. The Hang Seng index fell by 3.5 percent.

A slip in oil prices was one of the few bright spots for investors in the region. Oil slid below $110 a barrel after the dollar gained. The dollar rose following a warning on currency fluctuations from the G7 finance ministers.

Looking ahead, investors are eagerly awaiting earnings reports from big U.S. banks such as Citigroup, which will be released later in the week.

Duration : 0:1:29

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ZHANG:
Asian shares gained on Tuesday, led by banks, tech companies, and automakers.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei (13953.73) climbed 1.5 percent for a second day of gains. Exporters like Sony were among the biggest winners. The world’s top auto maker Toyota edged up on news of plans to boost its production capacity.

China stocks traded in Shanghai fell after the worst earthquake in three decades. Estimates of the total losses in human life and property from the 7.9 magnitude earthquake are still rising. The earthquake will have financial repercussions as well. Sichuan province, where the quake hit the hardest, contains 40 percent of China’s natural gas deposits.

Analysts also predict that the quake could increase inflationary pressure. Inflation in China accelerated to 8.5 percent last month.

In monetary news, the dollar was steady as investors remained uncertain about the direction of U.S. interest rates. Oil prices, meanwhile, retreated as some investors saw a recent rally to record highs as excessive.

Duration : 0:1:29

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Martin Hennecke advises private clients for Tyche and says…

[Marten Hennecke, Tyche]:
“Definitely there’s huge investor uncertainty. I mean for once the markets have been hammered, even commodities have been dropping back while everyone thought that was the safe inflation hedge. So now the mood is people kind of like cash.”

Financial shares were among the hardest hit with some Japanese lenders falling more than 10 percent. In Hong Kong, shares in Asia’s largest oil firm PetroChina also fell sharply.

Investors ditched oil with the commodity now viewed as a risky et. The dollar also came under severe pressure with the Japanese yen and high grade debt seen as providing security in the financial storm. For Asia, the knock on effect of a U.S. led credit crisis is likely to be felt by exporters such Samsung electronics. They sell the bulk of their products abroad. And thats the market report for today Tuesday Sep 16th.

Duration : 0:1:12

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Japan’s benchmark Nikkei finished the day 3.6 percent higher.

In China market shares dipped in morning trade after the government announced lackluster third quarter growth. The National Bureau of Statistics revealed that the nation’s GDP had slowed to 9 percent, more sharply than had been expected. Investors were heartened by the announcement.

In Korea news of the government’s 130 billion dollar bailout helped prevent share prices from sliding further. Seoul stocks saw modest gains helping the KOSPI index to close the day over 2 percent higher. The government plan seems to have eased investor fears but critics have said the measures are too weak
to reverse the stock market trend.

Duration : 0:1:4

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Hong Kong shares slid nearly 4 percent shortly after the open, as stocks tracked soft regional markets. Investors there also locked in profits after three days of sharp gains fuelled by a series of interest rate cuts worldwide.

Korea shares opened lower after a record daily rally of almost 12 percent in the previous session. The KOSPI posted its biggest-ever daily percentage gain on Thursday.

And Australian shares nudged down shortly after the morning with resource stocks pegged back as commodities prices resumed their downtrend, though hopes for global interest rate cuts offered some support.

Duration : 0:0:57

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A U.S. central bank official said the U.S. economy looked to be in recession.

The head of the Bank of Japan said global financial markets looked very strained.

Large exporters such as Honda Motors fell sharply. Rival Mazda’s stock also fell after a report that it has scrapped plans to build a second factory in
the U.S.

The Nikkei reversed steep falls and ended 1.1 percent higher.

China stocks were also largely weaker on worries about slowing global growth, especially because China’s momentum was slowing sharply even before the financial crisis.

Property and auto markets have slowed sharply in China, a further sign that China is not immune from a slowing world economy.

Anthony Trotter reporting for Reuters.

Duration : 0:0:56

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