quarter earnings. JAKARTA: Indonesia shares rose 1.4 percent to a record high of 2,366.40. Foreign funds bought banks and mining blue chips. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia shares inched up 0.4 percent to 1,382.36 points in moderate volume. MANILA: Philippine shares climbed, lifted by Wall Street's overnight performance and with investors expecting a positive tone from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's speech next week. The benchmark 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 35.37 points, or 1 percent, to 3,738.28. MUMBAI: Indian shares ended flat as gains in telecommunication companies were offset by losses in leading banks. The Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-share Sensex index rose 15 points, or 0.1 percent, to 15,565. On the broader National Stock Exchange, the 50-company S&P Nifty index inched up 0.09 percent to 4,566 points. SEOUL: South Korean shares rose to an all-time high, led by heavyweight technology stocks and steel maker Posco. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 45.64 points, or 2.4 percent, to 1,983.54, helped by the Dow Jones industrial average's close above 14,000 points overnight and buying from domestic investment funds. SHANGHAI/SHENZHEN: China shares soared nearly 4 percent, as robust earnings expectations from banks and property developers helped the market shrug off worries of economic tightening measures. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 145.91 points to rise 3.7 percent to 4,058.85, its highest close since settling at 4,078.60 on June 27. The Shenzhen Composite Index rose 42.15 points, or 3.9 percent, to hit 1,124.58. SINGAPORE: Singapore shares were lifted by big gains in some blue chips and Wall Street's strong performance overnight. The index gained 46.76 points, or 1.3 percent, to finish at 3,651.38. SYDNEY: Australian shares closed at a record high, bolstered by BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, which rose on higher base metal prices. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 37.6 points, or 0.6 percent, at a record closing high of 6,421.8. TAIPEI: Taiwan shares rose to a new seven-year high, boosted by renewed demand for electronics issues. The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange rose 112.59 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 9,585.90 on heavy volume. WELLINGTON: New Zealand shares ended higher in line with gains in foreign markets, as top stocks continue to drive market sentiment. The benchmark NZX-50 moved up 26.01 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,320.27.
