Asian stock markets were mixed in subdued trading Thursday as investors clung to the sidelines amid concerns about Europe's sovereign debt problems, as AP reported. Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average fell 1.99 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 10,308.60 even as a weaker yen lifted some exporters. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2 percent to 4,776.10. Benchmarks in Taiwan and Singapore also rose. The Shanghai Composite index edged up 0.2 percent to 2,917.21 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.3 percent at 22,906.20. South Korea's Kospi lost 0.4 percent to 2,009.25. «A holiday mood is in the market right now,» said Jackson Wong, vice president at Tanrich Securities. «There's no major news so the market is on the weak side because there's a lot of uncertainty still out there.» Wong said sentiment was still overshadowed by Europe's debt crisis, including the news Wednesday that Moody's may downgrade Spain's public debt. «Anything happening over there will send a wave across the globe,» he said. Affiliates of the Hyundai Group surged in Seoul amid speculation the company's bid to take control of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. might fail. Financing worries about the deal had hurt stock prices recently. Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. jumped 8 percent and Hyundai Elevator Co. surged nearly 11 percent.
