HONG KONG, Apr 3: Asian stock markets closed mixed Thursday, with Tokyo's main indexes edging higher on buying by-publlc funds, reports AP.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei Stock Average of 225 selected Issues gained 92.01 points, or 0.51 per cent, closing at 18.129.31. On Wednesday, the average had gained 167.71 points, or 0.94 per cent.

Stocks started slightly lower following another decline on Wall Street Wednesday, when the Dow Jones industrial average closed down 94.04 points at 6.517.01.

But the indexes bounced back on buying by pension funds set up at the April 1 start of the new fiscal year, and by foreign and domestic investors shopping for high-technology Issues, traders said.

The Tokyo Stock Price Index of all issues listed on the first section was up 5.10 points, or 0.37 per cent, to 1,380.70. It had gained 12.55 points, or 0.92 per cent, the previous day.

But despite the rise in the indexes. declines narrowly outnumbered advances by 530 to 518. with 196 issues unchanged.

Meanwhile, the US dollar was trading at 122.76 yen, up 0.48 ven from late Wednesday in Tokyo but below its late New York level of 123.25 yen overnight.

In Hong Kong, share prices fell as futures-linked trading dragged shares through a rollercoaster session.

The key Hang Seng Index of blue chips dropped 81.15 points, or 0.7 per cent, closing at 12,055.17, following Wednesday's 62.13-point rise.

"It's very volatile today due to the futures-related trading in the market," said Lennon Chan, a director at Tai Fook Securities Ltd.

He said futures traders were

substantially selling April futures contracts.

WELLINGTON: New Zealand share prices rose, although Fletcher Challenge Ltd's Paper Division declined slightly in trading of 3.6 million snares of the stock. The NZSE Top-40 Index climbed 7.65 points to 2,225.91.

TAIPEI: Share prices rose sharply in heavy trading on news that the Finance Ministry plans to raise the equity investment ceiling for banks. The Weighted Index surged 163.68 points to 8,367.57.

MANILA: Share prices fell for the fourth straight session, with losses felt across the board. The PSE Index dipped 57.44 points to 3,104.77.

SEOUL: Share prices fell, hit by a late selling spree in small-capital issues on unconfirmed talk that prosecutors plan to investigate the trading of some Issues on suspicion of illegal stock price manipulation. The Composite Index slipped 0.12 point to 678.74.

SINGAPORE: Share prices mostly fell, with mild selling of local shares and the sharp drop in Malaysian stocks serving as the highlight. The Straits Times industrials lost 11.73 points to 2.078.08.

SYDNEY: Australian share prices rose marginally after a late run in selected blue-chip stocks hauled the market out of negative territory. The All Ordinaries Index climbed 5.8 points to 2.361.

BANGKOK: Share prices fell in moderate trading, with retail Investors selling finance stocks after a group ot Finance companies announced plans to merge. The Stock Exchange of Thailand Index dropped 10.63 points to 706.01.

KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices fell on widespread selling.