Business

Asia-Pacific markets down

22:39 pm on 4 June 2009

Markets in the Asia- Pacific region were lower at the close of trade on Thursday.

The New Zealand share market was down 24 points, or 0.8%, to 2815 on turnover of $112 million.

Top stocks were mixed. Telecom was down 3 cents to $2.56, Contact Energy fell 5c to $5.95 but Fletcher Building gained 1c to $6.99.

The Australian share market closed 2% lower, weighed down by profit taking and a weaker resources sector on the back of softer oil and gold prices.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 82.6 points, or 2.06%, at 3,934.6, while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 76.8 points, or 1.92%, to 3,932.5 points.

Japanese share prices fell 0.75% on Thursday on profit taking and as investors awaited a key monthly US employment report for clues on recovery in the world's biggest economy.

The benchmark Nikkei-225 index lost 72.71 points to 9,668.96. The broader Topix index of all first section shares fell 3.51 points, or 0.38%, to 910.99.