Asian markets mostly higher at noon

KUALA LUMPUR: Key Asian markets were mostly higher in Wednesday's early afternoon trade, as investor sentiment was buoyed by news reports that a survey by HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics indicated that manufacturing in China might contract at a slower pace this month. At 12.45pm today, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was up 0.12% to 9,024.63 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was higher by 0.25% to 21,752.54. The Shanghai Composite Index was 0.35% higher at 2,121.75 while South Korea's Kospi Index dropped 0.39% to 1,919.35. Singapore's Straits Times Index rose 0.32% to 3,060.80 while the local bourse's benchmark index was up 0.22% to 1,668.48. At Bursa Malaysia, gainers outpaced losers by 272 to 260 while 323 other counters were traded unchanged. There were 554.3 million shares done with a total turnover of RM651.5 million. Among the gainers were UEMLAND which rose 20 sen to RM2.13, Astro which was up 12 sen to RM2.84 and DLADY which gained 72 sen to RM49.70. The losers included AIRASIA which fell 4 sen to RM3.05, TAKAFUL which lost 13 sen to RM4.65 and TEXCHEM which fell 4.5 sen to 58 sen. At 12.45pm today, Nymex crude oil in electronic trade was US$0.68 higher at US$87.35 per barrel while Brent crude rose US$0.95 to US$109.20. Spot gold rose US$3.47 to US$1,711.10 per ounce while spot silver rose 22 cents to US$31.91. Crude palm oil futures for January 2013 delivery rose RM16 to RM2,556 per tonne. The ringgit was quoted at RM3.06 to the US dollar and RM3.97 to the euro.