HONG KONG. Aug 7: Hong Kong share prices are expected to fall in the coming week as Investors remain worried about China-Taiwan tensions as well as upcoming US economic data, dealers said, reports AFP.

"The market will be ve^ much news-driven. Good news will drive it up 200 to 300 points. Unless there's a new Ciece of bad news, not much will appen on the downside," said South China Brokerage vice chairman Howard Gorges.

"This is a political market, it's not easy to gauge." Jason Ho. sales director of NBP Prime Peregrine, said.

He predicted the market next week would range from a low of 12,800 points to a high of 13.500 capped by political uncertainty.

The key Hang Seng index lost 19 points, or 0.1 per cent, over the week to close at 13.167.06 on Friday, on a daily average turnover of 5.6 billion Hong Kong dollars (728 million US).

Tokyo: Japanese share prices are likely to be weak in the coming week as any further

rise in the yen against the dollar could dampen hopes for an economic recovery, brokers said.

In the week just ended, the key Nikkei average of 225 selected Issues on the Tokyo Exchange tumbled 777.62 points, or 4.4 per cent to 17.084.24 after a 1.9 per cent advance the preceding week.

The market barometer lost nearly 890 points in consecutive declines for the last three days of the week.

The Topix index of all first-section issues fell 58.25 points to 1.420.68.

Average daily transactions on the first section came to 471.5 million shares worth 614.3 billion yen (5.4 billion dollars), compared with 468.0 million shares worth 617.4 billion yen in the previous week.

Singapore: Singapore share prices are expected to be mixed next week amid concerns over US interest rates and mounting tension between China and Taiwan, dealers said.

The broader All-Singapore Index fell 21.10 points to 557.66.

Average daily turnover fell to 351.84 million shares worth 533.29 million Singapore dollars (318.76 million US dollars) from 608.07 million shares worth 885.82 million Singapore dollars the previous week.

Bangkok: The Thal stock market can expect a brief rebound but trading Is likely to be lacklustre next week due to international factors, analysts said.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index shed 4.3 per cent last week, or 19.77 points, to close Friday at 437.04 points.

The daily average trading value fell 17.6 per cent to 4.3 billion baht (116.2 million dollars) from 5.2 billion baht last week.

Kuala Lumpur: There is further downside on the Malaysian bourse In the coming sessions after the headline index plummeted 8.5 per cent In the^week to Friday, analysts

The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's composite index plunged 65.60 point to end the .

week at 703.09. The lesser second board Index lost 9.2 per cent, or 15.34 points to finish at 152.28.

Average daily turnover fell to 443176 million shares worth 897.65 million ringgit (236 million dollars), from 694.42 million units valued at 1.45 billion ringgit the previous week.

Jakarta: Volatile trade is expected in Indonesian shares In the coming week with buyers likely to be sidelined on negative regional sentiment, dealers said Friday.

The Jakarta Stock Exchange composite index rose 9.961 points, or 1.66 per cent, over the week to 607.835 on Friday.

The average number of shares traded over the week stood at 338.1 million valued at 74.48 million dollars, compared to 946.4 million shares worth 127.89 million dollars in the previous week.

Taipei: The Taiwan stock market will remain mired in a slump which saw it lose eight per cent this week as tension with China show no sigh of cooling, dealers said.

Over the week to Friday, the Taiwan Stock Exchange weighted price index fell 589^9 points, or 8.0 per cent to 6,823.52 following a 4.0 per cent plunge in the previous week.

The index has now plunged 20.2 per cent, or 1,726.75 points, since July 9 when President Lee Teng-hurt redefined Taiwan's ties with China as a "special state-to-state relationship."

Average dally turnover on the Taipei bourse in the week to Friday was 62.38 billion Taiwan dollars (1.94 billion US), down from 72.22 billion dollars in the previous week.

Seoul: The South Korean stock market is likely to be slow in the coming week but Its bias is on the upside, dealers said on Friday.

The composite index closed the week's trading at 938.26, down 3.2 per cent from a week earlier.

Average trade volume was 317.28 million shares worth 4.48 trillion won (3.7 billion dollars), down from 381.76 million shares worth 5.47 trillion won the previous week.

Manila: The Philippine stock market may experience an upturn next week but It will be short-lived, analysts said yesterday.

The Philippine Stock Exchange composite index fell 1.9 per cent or 44.17 points week-on-week to close 2,298.64 points on Friday.

Average dally turnover fell to 2.693 billion shares worth 2.202 billion pesos (56.46 million dollars) from 1.546 billion shares worth 2.815 billion pesos last week.

Sydney: The company profit season gathers steam In the next week and with encouraging results so far the All Ordinaries Index should be pushed higher, brokers said.

The All Ordinaries, the Australian Stock Exchange's key indicator, lost 12.9 points, or 0.4 per cent, over the week to close at 3,007.0

The All Resources index gained 47.3 points, or 3.7 per cent, over the week to finish at 1.306.6 while the All Industrials index fell 66.1 points, or 1.2 per cent, to.5,187.1.