Nikkei: 9,606.82 (+165.79) Hang Seng: 23,896.10 (+375.48) Shanghai Comp: 3,007.77 (+8.73)ASIAN SHARES rose yesterday, as technology companies got a lift from strong earnings by Intel and IBM while investors were upbeat on a rise in US housing starts.
Chipmakers surged across the board with Samsung Electronics up 4.7 per cent to Won916,000 and Hynix Semiconductor gaining 4.6 per cent to Won34,300 in Seoul. Samsung shares were further buoyed by news that it would sell its hard-disk drive business to Seagate Technology.
Sony rose 0.9 per cent to ¥2,458 after Sony Ericsson, its phonemaking joint venture, said supply problems in Japan were stabilising.
Machinery makers Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries gained 2.6 per cent to ¥354 and 3 per cent to ¥380, respectively, on a Nikkei report that the companies were ramping up production of industrial power generators.
LG Chem climbed 5.6 per cent to Won549,000.
China’s Shanghai Composite index inched 0.3 per cent higher led by commodities shares. Jiangxi Copper was up 1.4 per cent to Rmb38.23. – (Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011)
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