Asian stocks appear mixed with Shanghai losing gains (MarketWatch) (01-02-2012)

HONG KONG — Asian stock markets were mixed following a choppy trading session on Wednesday as data on Chinese manufacturing activity led to expectations Beijing may not immediately ease its monetary policy.

China’s Shanghai Composite Index lost 1.1% to 2,268.08, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index lost 0.9% to 4,225.70 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index  dropped 0.3% to 20,333.37.

South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.2% to 1,959.24, Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average closed 0.1% higher at 8,809.79, and Taiwan’s Taiex gained 0.4% to 7,549.21.

Shares of Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd gave up 0.9%, and Sino Land Co fell 3.6%.

In Tokyo, shares of Daiwa Securities Group Inc. dropped 1.8%, and Shinsei Bank Ltd. fell 2.3%, after each reported relatively weak financial results late on Tuesday.

Australia also saw some earnings-related selling, with Energy Resources of Australia Ltd slumping 13.6% after the uranium miner swung to a fiscal-year net loss.

Source: MarketWatch