Asian stock markets mixed in early trading after tepid session on Wall Street

Asian stock markets mixed in early trading

TOKYO — Asian markets were mixed early Monday after shares in New York on Friday gave back most of their gains on concerns over whether a recent rally could be sustained.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average was down 57.24 points, or 0.5 percent, at 10,939.13 while South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.57 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 1,697.22.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 143.22, or 0.7 percent, to 21,200.35.

In Japan, several big-name electronics companies suffered losses. Casio Computer Co. was down 3.3 while Nintendo fell 2.8 percent.

Australia’s main index was fractionally higher at 4,898,70.

In Singapore, the benchmark Straits Times index was up 0.5 percent.

Japan’s government said retail sales were higher for the second month in a row in February, rising 4.2 percent. In January, sales were up 2.3 percent.

But sales at larger retailers, including supermarkets and department stores, fell during the month.

In New York on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 9.15 points, or 0.1 percent, to 10,850.36, after earlier climbing higher on the news that European leaders announced a plan to help Greece with its debts. A similar advance and retreat occurred Thursday.

In currencies, the dollar rose to 92.63 yen from 92.35 yen late Friday. The euro fell to $1.3426 from $1.3487.