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Asia shares mixed after China growth data

Hong Kong - Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday as data showing China's economy growing at its slowest pace in five years offset another positive lead from Wall Street.

After the wild swings of last week that were fuelled by global growth fears, Monday's hefty advances across the region raised hopes as shares were on a more even keel as the earnings season approaches.

But Tokyo slipped 2.03% to 14 804.28 a day after clocking up a gain of almost 4%, while Seoul shed 14.78 points to 1 915.28.

Shanghai dipped 17.07 points to 2 339.66. Hong Kong ended marginally higher, adding 18.32 points to 23 088.58.

Sydney ended up 0.11%, adding 5.6 points to 5 325.0.

Stocks surged on Monday in response to Friday's Wall Street advance that was propelled by bargain-hunting and upbeat US corporate results.

However, another day of gains in New York was unable to give the same lift to Asia on Tuesday. The Dow rose 0.12%, the S&P 500 added 0.91% and the Nasdaq jumped 1.35%.

In Beijing, the National Bureau of Statistics said the economy grew 7.3% year-on-year in July-September, lower than the 7.5% expansion in the previous three months and the slowest since the 6.6% in the first quarter of 2009.

But it exceeded the median forecast of 7.2% in an AFP survey of 17 economists, and some analysts said upbeat industrial production figures suggested the slowdown may have bottomed out.

"The momentum of the economy bottoming out and stabilising is now relatively clear," Ma Xiaoping, a Beijing-based economist for British bank HSBC, told AFP. "Currently there's no risk of an accelerated slowdown."

China is a crucial driver of world growth and any weakness fuels concerns about its knock-on effect for other countries, from the United States to the eurozone to Australia.

On currency markets the dollar fell to ¥106.56 from ¥106.92 in New York and well below the ¥107.10 earlier on Monday in Asia.

The euro bought $1.2819 and ¥136.61 against $1.2800 and ¥136.86.

Oil prices were mixed. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for November delivery fell 31c to $82.40 a barrel and Brent crude for December added 95 cents to $85.35.

Gold was at $1 248.17 an ounce against $1 244.57 late on Monday.

In other markets:

-Taipei eased 8.50 points to 8 654.64. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing closed 0.79% lower at Tw$125.0, while Hon Hai Precision Industry fell 0.32% to Tw$93.5.

-Wellington rose 35.24 points to 5 233.12. Spark was up 1.21% at NZ$2.935 and Air New Zealand added 1.59% to NZ$1.86.

-Manila rose 10.50 points to 7 068.03. Philippine Long Distance Telephone gained 1.13% to 3 208 pesos, while Energy Development added 1.32% to 7.70 pesos.

-Bangkok closed flat, slipping 0.53 points to 1 526.14. Coal producer Banpu fell 1.00 baht to 26.75, while Airports of Thailand rose 4.00 baht to 228.00 baht.

-Jakarta closed down 11.19 points at 5 029.34. Car maker Astra International lost 1.52% to 6 500 rupiah, while Hero Supermarket rose 1.83% to 2 780 rupiah.

-Kuala Lumpur fell 6.92 points to end at 1 796.22. SapuraKencana Petroleum shed 0.8% to 3.57 ringgit, while Public Bank lost 0.2% to 18.56. RHB Capital gained 0.5% to 8.52 ringgit.

-Singapore closed up 21.69 points at 3 202.74. Oil rig-maker Keppel was 0.94% higher at Sg$9.70 and casino operator Genting Singapore dipped 0.95% to Sg$1.04.

-Mumbai closed up 145.80 points at 26 575.65. Natural gas processor and distributor GAIL rose 4.43% to 479.05 rupees, while competitor Oil & Natural Gas fell 2.57% to 408.10 rupees.
 
 

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