Tokyo - The Tokyo stock market ended modestly higher Tuesday on the US dollar's advance against the yen.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average closed up 37.72 points, or 0.42 per cent, to 9,080.84.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues was almost unchanged at 876.2, up 0.29 points, or 0.03 per cent, at 876.2.

Exporters were helped by weaker yen as it boosts their competitiveness overseas.

But gains were limited as investors sold shares in the afternoon session for quick profit.

New York  - Major US stock indices were off Monday amid growing worries about corporate profits in the coming months.

The big unknown is what will happen if you see a lot of Wall Street analysts shaving their estimates in the next few months," Huntington Financial Advisors fund manager Madelynn Matlock told the Bloomberg financial news agency. We dont really expect earnings to be good."

The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 81.8 points, or 0.91 per cent, to 8,952.89. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 4.35 points, or 0.47 per cent, to

Bangkok - Thai shares jumped 6.39 per cent in value Monday as investors snapped up energy sector stocks, confident that oil prices will rise because of the crisis in the Middle East, brokers said.

Manila  - Philippine share prices rose 5.43 per cent on Monday, the first trading day of the year, on expectations the US economy will finally start recovering.

The Philippine Stock Exchange's 30-share composite index gained 101.84 points to close at 1,974.69 from 1,872.85 points on December 24, the last trading day in 2008.

A total of 640.93 million shares valued at 1.44 billion pesos (30.44 million dollars) were traded.

Gainers outpaced losers 78 to 16, while 23 issues were unchanged.

Tokyo  - Tokyo's stock market ended the first trading of the New Year in a positive mood on Monday.

The Nikkei index of 225 leading stocks rose over 9,000 for the first time in nearly two months after Wall Street gained on Friday. The index gained 183.56 points, or 2.02 per cent, to 9,043.12.

Japan's benchmark index lost a record 42 per cent last year as the financial crisis pummeled world markets.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues was also up 16.67 points, or 1.94 per cent, to 875.91.

Taipei  - Taiwan stocks opened the New Year on Monday by surging nearly 5 per cent, on the government's economics stimulus plan, improved Taiwan-China ties and US and European stocks' surge.

The TAIEX benchmark index rose 134.04 points, or 2.92 per cent when the stock market opened at 9 am after being closed for four trading days since Wednesday for the New Year holidays.

By 10 am, the TAIEX had climbed 157.99, or 3.44 per cent, to 4,749.21.