06:39 AM EDT, 10/03/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets turned in a mixed Thursday in holiday- and weather-thinned trading, as traders booked profits in Hong Kong but eyed a dovish monetary policy in Japan

Hong Kong fell back and Tokyo gained, while other regional exchanges were uneven and muted. Trading floors in Shanghai and Seoul were closed on holiday, while Taiwan remained shuttered as Typhoon Krathon made landfall.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher and held ground, finishing up 2% after the nation's new prime minister issued dovish commentary regarding interest rates. Export issues rose on a softer yen.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 743.30 to 38,552.06, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 181 to 43.

Leading the upside was online medical services outfit M3, which rose 9.9%, while home-furnishings chain Nitori declined 1.6%.

In other news, Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba late Wednesday, after concluding a meeting with Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, said interest-rate hikes were not advisable in Japan's current economy.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened evenly, wobbled and finished off 1.5% as traders cashed in after recent large rallies predicated on expanded economic stimulus from Beijing and the People's Bank of China.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 330.22 to 22,113.51, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 74 to seven. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 3.5% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 5.9%.

Leading the upside was online delivery service Meituan, gaining 4%, while New World Development fell 11.4%.

On the other regional exchanges, the Australian ASX 200 inclined 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.2%, and the Thai Set declined 0.2%.

In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 2.1%.