[R]7:45AM Asian markets closed mixed.[/R]
Asian-Pacific benchmarks ended Monday session mixed. The Nikkei led decliners, falling 1.4% to 17,000.36 on surging oil and gold prices. The index decline also reflected weakness in property and consumer-finance stocks, following concerns about recent sharp increases in Japan''s long-term interest rates. Among losers, Aiful dropped 6.8% on government sanction for aggressive loan-collection practices, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial fell 1.5%, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial lost 1.1%. In addition, many investors were reluctant to buy ahead of the new rush of U.S. and Japanese earnings reports from major companies. South Korea’s Kospi abandoned record-high levels reached on Friday to close down 0.7% on profit taking in major financial and tech stocks. China Shanghai Composite sharply rose to 1.4% on investor fund flows into heavyweight stocks. Taiwan Weighted index closed at a two-year high of 0.7% on strong tourism and construction shares, boosted by expectations of improved trade relations with China.