Asia-Pacific markets up after early losses

Tokyo -- Major Asia-Pacific markets pared off opening losses Friday and closed in positive territory, giving a hopeful sign for next week's sessions.

The Friday opening once again fell in line with the overnight Wall Street collapse but the tide turned as the day wore on.

On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan's 225-stock Nikkei, the Asian barometer index, managed to add nearly 208 points, or 2.7 percent, and closed at 7,911.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also performed impressively after a poor start and closed at 12,659, up 361 points, or nearly 3 percent.

Australia's All-Ordinaries gained 54 points, or 1.63 percent, to 3,387, CNN reported.

South Korea's KOSPI gained 5.8 percent but China's Shanghai Composite Index ended with a small loss.

India's Sensex index on the Mumbai stock exchange also had a strong close, gaining more than 460 points and heading closer to the 9,000 mark.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.