Asia appears mixed with Tokyo and Hong Kong falling (MarketWatch) (27-01-2012)

SYDNEY — Asian stocks were quit mixed while Tokyo and Hong Kong declined while Sydney and Seoul traded modestly higher.

The Hang Seng Index fell 0.1% in Hong Kong, while Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average also slipped 0.1%.

South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.3%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index advanced 0.4% as investors played catch-up after a one-day holiday. Mainland Chinese markets remained shut for the week.

Inpex Corp rose 2.9% in Japan, while Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. advanced 2.5%. Earnings were also a focus in Japan, with NEC Corp. down 7.1%. In Seoul, Samsung Electronics Co. edged up 0.3%.

Hyundai Motor Co. fell 3.7%. The car maker reported late Thursday that its fourth-quarter profit rose 38%, and sales rose 11%.

Source: MarketWatch