Tokyo  - Optimism based on the US economic stimulus package boosted the Japan market Wednesday, sending the benchmark Nikkei index up 2 per cent.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average advanced 182.31 points to 9,263.15.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues was also up 14.49 points, or 1.65 per cent, to 890.69.

On the currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 93.35-40 yen, down from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 93.53-54 yen.

Singapore - The Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) Tuesday said its derivatives and Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) markets set new trading records last year with volume surging to 62 million contracts, up by 38 per cent from 2007.

By September 2008, turnover in the total futures and options market had already surpassed that for the whole of 2007. This was followed by a record month in October, when 6,863,420 contracts were traded, said SGX.

Total trading value of SGX-listed ETFs in 2008 was 2.94 billion Singapore dollars (1.995 billion US dollars), a 155 per cent increase over 1.15 billion Singapore dollars registered in 2007.

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.