Overview of World Markets: Few Positive, Few Negative

The Nikkei [Japan] 225 Average
rose 0.9% to 13,360.04, after dropping as low as 13,169.55 earlier in
the day. The gains came after the benchmark lost nearly 8.5% in the
previous 12 sessions. The broader Topix index gained 1.2% to 1,312.80.

Chinese stocks in Shanghai and Hong Kong rising sharply on banks and beaten-down airline stocks. China's Shanghai Composite surged 4.6% to 2,792.40 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 2.3% to 21,913.06.

The Australian market closed in negative territory. After opening
lower, the market steadily lost ground and gave away most of the 1.7%
gains that it recorded on Friday. The Australian benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 1.6% to 5,002.50.

The New Zealand market also closed lower, reversing Friday's 2%
gains. After opening on a flat note, the market steadily lost ground as
weakness in the Australian market impacted investor sentiment. The benchmark NZX 50 index lost 1.2% to finish at 3,121.45.

The South Korean market closed slightly higher. The benchmark Kospi index closed up 0.1% at 1,579.72, bouncing off the day's low at 1,560.

Singapore's Straits Times Index rose 1.4% to 2,934.12. Taiwan's index added 1.6% to 7,314.11. The Indonesian Jakarta Composite Index is plunged by 0.5% to 2,303.82.

The U.K. FTSE 100 index fell 0.2% to 5,400.10, the German DAX 30 index inched up 0.3% to 6,290.95 and the French CAC-40 index rose 0.1% to 4,271.89.

And, finally - India's Sensex gained 0.9% to 13,537.51.