Stocks:  (CHU)(CN)(CHL)(HBC)(PCW)

The Nikkei was cloased but the Hang Seng had sharp gains.

The Hang Seng index rose 1.7% to 20,310. Cathay Pacific rose 1.3% to 19.52. China Mobile rose 3.7% to 69.7. China Netcom rose 2.2% to 21.3. China Unicom rose .9% to 11.2. HSBC rose .6% to 143.5. Hutchison rose 2.7% to 81.18. PCCW dropped .2% to 4.72.

The KOSPI rose .1% to 1,435.

The Straits Times and Shanghai Composite did not trade.

Data from Reuters.

Douglas A. McIntyre