HONG KONG, June 30 (AFP): Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as some dealers remained on the sidelines ahead of key economic data out of Japan and the US, while others took a lead from a Wall Street rally.

Tokyo added 1.79 per cent, Sydney 1.75 per cent and Seoul 0.12 per cent, while Hong Kong dropped 0.81 per cent and Shanghai 0.54 per cent.

Tokyo rose despite unemployment hitting a more than five-year high of 5.20 per cent Tuesday, although retail sales increased for the first time in 16 months.

Investors have been awaiting the release of Japan's Tankan survey of business confidence, which is due out Wednesday, and jobs figures in the United States Thursday for signs on the health of the global economy.

Wall Street gave inspiration to some Asian markets after it rallied more than one per cent on confidence in the result of this week's figures.

TOKYO: Up 1.79 per cent. The Nikkei-225 climbed 174.97 points to end at 9,958.44.

The index closed at a two-week high after breaking the 10,000 mark briefly before profit-taking took over.

Energy-related shares were boosted by a rise in oil prices. Inpex added 5.0 per cent to 772,000 yen and Japan Petroleum surged 7.2 per cent to 5,350 yen.

HONG KONG: Down 0.81 per cent. The Hang Seng Index lost 149.78 points to 18,378.73.

The market rose 28 per cent in the first six months of the year as China's huge stimulus package attracted foreign investors.

Heavyweight China Mobile led profit-taking in blue-chips, falling 1.8 per cent to 77.60 dollars after gaining 5.8 per cent in the previous four sessions.

SYDNEY: Up 1.75 per cent. The S&P/ASX 200 gained 68 points to 3,954.9.

The session left Australian shares 24 per cent lower than a year earlier.

Rio Tinto was up 3.84 per cent at 52.20 and BHP Billiton lifted 2.42 per cent to 34.72.

Woolworths picked up 2.65 per cent to 26.36.

SHANGHAI: Down 0.54 per cent. The Shanghai Composite Index, which covers A and B shares, was down 15.95 points to 2,959.36.

Oil majors rallied when the market opened after Beijing announced its second gasoline and diesel price hike in a month Tuesday to cope with rising crude costs internationally.

But gains narrowed as investors remained cautious on the outlook for refining businesses, traders said.

PetroChina ended up 0.30 per cent at 14.48 yuan and Sinopec rose 0.70 per cent to 10.66 yuan.

TAIPEI: Up 0.64 per cent. The weighted index rose 41.01 points to 6,432.16.

Plastics finished 1.85 per cent higher, electronics rose 1.43 per cent, while the food sector lost 1.97 per cent, financials dropped 1.19 per cent and textiles edged down 0.61 per cent.

MediaTek Inc, Taiwan's leading integrated circuit designer, was 3.0 per cent higher at 392.0 and Hon Hai Precision rose 1.90 per cent to 101.50.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Compamy rose 2.43 per cent to 54.7 while United Microelectronics Corp was up 1.80 per cent at 11.0.

SEOUL: Up 0.12 per cent. The KOSPI ended up 1.62 points at 1,390.07.

South Korea's industrial output rose a faster-than-expected 1.6 per cent in May compared with April, the fifth straight month-on-month advance, government data showed Tuesday.

Kookmin Bank advanced 1.3 per cent to 42,800 won and Shinhan Financial Group added 1.42 per cent to 32,250 won.

Samsung Electronics shed 1.0 per cent to 592,000 won.

Kia Motors declined 3.8 per cent to 12,600 won.

SINGAPORE: Up 0.70 per cent. The main Straits Times Index rose 15.97 points to 2,333.14.

Singapore Airlines finished 50 cents higher at 13.30 dollars but dealers said concerns over the impact of rising oil prices are likely to weigh on the stock.

Singapore Telecommunications added three cents to 3.00 and Singapore Press Holdings was two cents higher at 3.16.

DBS fell two cents to 11.80.

KUALA LUMPUR: Down 0.10 per cent. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index lost 0.60 points to close at 1,075.24.

Among decliners, UEM Land slid 4.9 per cent to 1.56 ringgit as Sime Darby fell 1.4 per cent to 6.95 ringgit.

Maybank rose 0.9 per cent to 5.90 ringgit while Parkson climbed 2.0 per cent to 5.10 ringgit.

BANGKOK: Down 0.68 per cent. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index fell 4.12 points to close at 597.48.

JAKARTA: Down 0.34 per cent. The Jakarta Composite index lost 6.93 points to 2,026.78.

The market lost out due to late selling ahead of inflation data for June and the presidential election next week.

Traders expected shares to rebound if Jakarta announced benign June inflation Wednesday.

Bank Rakyat Indonesia shed 4.6 per cent to 6,300 rupiah.

MANILA: Down 1.22 per cent. The composite index lost 30.06 points to 2,437.99.

Ayala Corp. fell 4.50 per cent to 265 pesos while Globe Telecom was off 1.04 per cent to 950 pesos.

WELLINGTON: Up 0.76 per cent. The NZX-50 rose 20.99 points to close at 2,796.11.

ABN Amro Craigs broker Matt Willis said the New Zealand dollar's rise would hurt export stocks and make local shares generally less attractive to foreign investors.

Telecom closed down a cent at 2.73 dollars, having earlier hit a low of 2.65.

Fletcher Building rose 20 cents to 6.58 dollars, Contact Energy was up 10 cents at 5.85, and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare rose a cent to 2.92 dollars.