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Asian market highlights

BOMBAY: Shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) finished lower and traders said volumes were moderate.

"The market remained flat and I expect prices to remain at the same levels next week," one dealer said.

BSE's 30-share index lost 17.59 points to end at a provisional 3,405.20. The National index closed at a provisional 1,572.13 points against 1,576.33.

Traders said foreign institutional investors bought large volumes of A group and B group stocks in off market deals.

JAKARTA: Jakarta shares prices closed the day higher in active trading following late foreign buying, mostly of Bakrie Brothers, brokers said.

The Jakarta composite index rose 4.18, or 0.81 percent, to close at 516.18, after touching the day's low of 515.00.

SINGAPORE: Singapore shares resumed their recent downtrend in late trade as blue chips gave up most of their early gains on a wave of technical selling.

Dealers said chart-traders, who buy and sell on price patterns rather fundamentals, were dumping high value shares in anticipation of another general slide on the benchmark 30-share Straits Times Industrials Index (STII).

SYDNEY: The Australian share market closed lower for the second day running after a fall on Wall Street and continuing weakness in major resource stocks.

The All Ordinaries Index closed 11.2 points lower at 2127.6. The September share price index futures contract was 18 points down at 2155, a premium of 27.4 points to the physical market.

The fall in the All Ordinaries was generally seen as expected after Wall Street's fall. Flat metals prices offshore and no fresh local news also contributed to the lacklustre performance of the local market, brokers said.

WELLINGTON: The New Zealand share market finished moderately weaker, but brokers said its performance was fairly robust given a tightening of monetary conditions by the central bank and a fall on Wall Street overnight.

The NZSE-40 finished at 2,130.71, down 8.69 points or 0.41 percent, but up slightly on its low of 2,126.44. Most of the leaders were down on the day.

The market lost ground immediately after it opened after the Reserve Bank announced a cut in the cash target to tighten monetary conditions following a fall in the New Zealand dollar overnight.-Reuter