Friday, the final trading session of 2006 witnessed the Asian markets end in positive territory, barring Hong Kong and India. The overnight drop in the U.S stocks and domestic corporate news guided investor sentiment for the day.

The Australian, New Zealand and China indices continued their record rally to settle at all time highs. However, the Hong Kong and the Indian markets settled in the red on profit booking. The South Korean and Indonesian markets remained closed for a holiday.

Japan’s chief Nikkei 225 share index inched up 0.01% to end the half-day session at 17,225.83 as a softer yen continued to support exporter shares. The market will re-open on Thursday, but will last only half a day.

Advantest gained over 1%, Bridgestone increased 1% and Sony inched up 0.2%. In the auto sector, Hino Motors advanced 1.5%. Honda Motor added 0.4%. Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor climbed 0.5% and 0.8% respectively.

Sydney shares finished with small gains on the back of select blue chips across the board. The chief S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.17% to finish at a new all time high of 5,669.9. The key index gained 19% in 2006.

The All Ordinaries Index moved up 0.18% to finish at a new record of 5,644.3. The broad market index advanced 19.9% in 2006.

Among the resources issues, Newcrest Mining spurted more than 2% and Alumina gained over a percent. The shares of Lihir Gold, Woodside Petroleum and Oil Search increased about a percent each. In the banking space, Macquarie Bank firmed up 1.2% and Westpac Banking rose 0.3%.

Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng index closed down 0.20% at 19,964.72 on profit taking in major shares as investors turned cautious after the key index touched the 20,000 points level Thursday. The Hang Seng advanced 34% in 2006. The Hang Seng China Enterprise index shed 0.20% to close at 10,340.36.

China Construction Bank and Bank of Communications lost 2% each. ICBC fell 1.8%, while China Life slid 1.7%. China Mobile declined more than 1% and China Unicom plunged 8.4%.

India’s BSE Sensex declined 0.43% to settle at 13,786.91 after investors resorted to wide spread profit booking in banking, telecom and IT sector shares.

HLL topped the pack of losers among the Sensex components with a drop of almost 2%. Tata Motors and Reliance Communications shed about 1.5% each. Gujarat Ambuja and ONGC lost over a percent each.

China’s key indicator Shanghai Composite Index spurted 4.20% to settle at 2,675.47, an all-time high. The key index rallied 130% in 2006, emerging the best performer among its Asian peers.

Blue chips across the banking, property and airline sectors buoyed during the day. Bank of China rose its 10% daily limit. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China jumped surged 6%. Shanghai Pudong Development Bank gained more than 5.5%.

Real estate developer Shanghai Lujiazui Finance & Trade Zone Development climbed its 10% daily limit. Shanghai Jinqiao Export Processing Zone Development soared 6.1%.

Taiwan’s weighted TAIEX index rose 1.17% to finish at a six-year high of 7,823.72 backed by financial and tech stocks.

Heavyweight Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing spurted over 2%. United Microelectronics and Hon Hai Precision rose about 0.5% each. Advanced Semiconductors and Au Optronics climbed over 1% each. Cathay Financial Holdings jumped more than 2%.

New Zealand’s key indicator NZX 50 index added 0.20% to close at 4,055.47 after select blue chips across the board received investor attention.

Hellaby Holding surged more than 3.5%, Steel & Tube advanced over 1% and Fletcher Building rose almost a percent. Exporter Fisher and Paykel healthcare and retailer major Pumpkin Patch increased about half a percent each.

Singapore’s STI advanced 0.75% to end at 2,985.83. Malaysia’s KLSE Composite rose 0.68% to settle at 1,096.24.

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