A roundup of trading on major world markets:
NEW YORK – Wall Street was closed for the Presidents Day public holiday.
LONDON – European stocks closed slightly off as investors awaited the outcome of high-stakes debt talks between Greece and its eurozone partners in Brussels.
London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index dipped 0.24 per cent to close at 6,857.05 points.
Frankfurt’s DAX 30 closed 0.37 per cent off at 10,923.23 points, while the CAC 40 index in Paris edged 0.16 per cent lower to 4,751.95 points.
The Greek market, however, crashed 3.83 per cent, closing at 859.70 points after eurozone finance ministers began a key meeting over Athens’ controversial proposals to overhaul its bailout from international creditors.
The euro weakened to $US1.1390 from $US1.1393 late in New York on Friday.
HONG KONG – Asian markets advanced following a record close on Wall Street, while Greece’s leadership said it was confident it could hammer out a new debt deal with European creditors.
Japanese shares ended above 18,000 for the first time in more than seven years, supported by data showing the economy had exited recession.
Tokyo rose 0.51 per cent, or 91.41 points, to finish at 18,004.77 – the first time it has been above the psychologically key level since July 2007.
Sydney added 0.19 per cent, or 11.2 points, to 5,888.7 and Seoul was marginally higher, tacking on 0.73 points to 1,958.23. Shanghai climbed 0.58 per cent, or 18.53 points, to 3,222.36 and Hong Kong added 0.18 per cent, or 43.99 points to 24,726.53.
WELLINGTON – The NZX 50 Index fell 28.295 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 5758.245.
