Asian markets close day of mixed trading

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Trading was mixed in Asian markets Thursday as investors remained jittery over the European debt crisis and faltering global economy.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average fell 0.6% to 8,981.84 on a day of wild swings for the yen. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index declined 1% to 19,595.14, Taiwan’s Taiex lost 0.2% to 7,719.09 and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index ended down 0.5% to 4,140.8.

Advancing were China’s Shanghai Composite Index, which gained 1.3% to 2,581.51, and South Korea’s Kospi, which rose 0.6% to 1,817.44, the second day of gains after the country’s Financial Services Commission banned short selling.

The regulating agency’s chairman said on a radio program Thursday that South Korea would fare better than it did in the 2008 financial crisis if another global recession were to arise, Reuters reported.

-- David Pierson