Tokyo Nikkei 225 up 0.81%, S&P ASX 200 down 1.39% (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Tokyo , 26 Apr - Asian shares closed mostly higher after yesterday's mixed session, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan up 1.30%.

In Asian stock market dealings technology shares rallied after stronger-than-expected earnings from US giants Microsoft and Alphabet.

The Bank of Japan today kept interest rates steady as widely expected as it met for the first time after a historic interest rate hike in March.

The central bank however forecast softer growth for the Japanese economy and higher inflation in the coming years, sparking concerns over how much headroom it will have to raise interest rates further.

The Australian S&P ASX 200 index bucked the trend and dipped as trading resumed in Sydney after yesterday's public holiday.

Also weighing sentiment, data showed an increase in Australia's producer price index inflation over the first quarter, sparking concerns over higher-for-longer interest rates.

Traders now awaited US personal consumption expenditures, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, later today.

The Nikkei index closed up 0.81% at 37,934 points, in Sydney the S&P ASX 200 closed down 1.39% at 7,575 points, while in Seoul the KOSPI closed up 1.04% at 2,656 points.

The Shanghai Composite index was up 1.15% at 3,088 points and the Hong Kong Hang Seng index was up 2.25% at 17,674 points.

In Mumbai the Sensex index was down 0.23% at 74,170 points.

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(RADIOCOR) 26-04-24 09:16:24 (0205) 5 NNNN