Asian stock markets were mostly lower Thursday, the Associated Press reported. Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney fell while Shanghai and Southeast Asian markets gained. Oil prices rose. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6% to 3,125.40 while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo lost 0.2% to 26,639.04. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong sank 0.6% to 20,043.93. The Kospi in Seoul declined 0.3% to 2,610.30. The Bank of Korea, as expected, raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.75%. Sydney's S&P-ASX 200 was 0.5% lower at 7,116.70. India's Sensex opened down 0.4% at 53,514.81. New Zealand declined while Southeast Asian markets rose. In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude added 42 cents to $110.75 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the price basis for international oils, gained 18 cents to $111.30 per barrel in London. The dollar rose to 127.40 yen from 127.32 yen. The euro declined to $1.0678 from $1.0688.
