Asia stocks flat as US return from holiday awaited
Asian stock markets displayed tread water Tuesday in the absence of cues from Wall Street following a holiday in the US.
In Japan, investors went for profits following Monday's strong gains. The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.3 percent to 11,370.40. South Korea's Kospi rose 0.1 percent to 1,982.95. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2 percent to 5,073.90.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 0.3 percent to 23,317.15, as traders cashed in shares that have posted sizeable gains in recent weeks, such as gambling stocks. Sands China plunged 4.4 percent. SJM Holdings plunged 4.9 percent.
"Markets already had very strong cumulative gains, so in the absence of an incentive, the market seems to be undergoing a correction or consolidation,'' said Kwong Man Bun, the chief operating officer at KGI Securities in Hong Kong.
Some investors remained on the sidelines, waiting for Japan to announce the next head of its central bank to replace Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirikawa, who will leave the post in April. Analysts at DBS Bank in Singapore said they expect an announcement before Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets President Barack Obama on Feb. 22 in Washington.
Abe, elected on promises of bold action to ignite the moribund Japanese economy, is likely to appoint someone with views in line with the program he is championing. One element of the program includes a target of 2 percent inflation to reverse two decades of falling prices, which hurts growth. He also favors a weaker yen.
Japanese stocks have soared in recent weeks as the
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