Asian markets open mixed

Asian share markets are mixed in early trade Friday. Story Tools

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Asian markets have opened mixed on Friday morning, with slight gains in Australia and New Zealand, and a flat start for South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

Japanese financial markets are closed Friday for the vernal equinox national holiday and will reopen on Monday.

The subdued start in Asia follows Thursday's strong gains, led by Japan and South Korea, that came after the U.S.-led attack on Iraq began.

But the overall picture for global equity markets remains unclear, with Wall Street posting modest gains Thursday, and European stocks ending lower as investors wait to see how the war unfolds.

Australia's S&P/ASX200 is up 0.10 percent to 2869.0, lifted by a gain of more than 1.5 percent for the market's biggest stock, media group News Corp.

In South Korea, where the Kospi surged almost 5 percent on Thursday, the market is down slightly.

The Kospi has slipped about 0.03 percent to 568.29. Samsung Electronics, one of the biggest gainers on Thursday, is down almost half a percent to 310,000 won.

Big exporter Hyundai Motor, which jumped more than 6 percent Thursday, has added another 2.44 percent to 25,200 won in early trade.

Data released Friday morning shows that growth in private consumption in South Korea is slowing. Gross domestic product grew 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2002, and 6.3 percent for the year overall.

In New Zealand, where the Top 50 index is virtually unchanged at 1903.66, Air New Zealand is the big gainer, up 6 percent to NZ$0.53.

Australian carrier Qantas is 3.4 percent higher at A$3.46. Other Australian stocks to show strength are telecom leader Telstra, up 0.75 percent, and big retailer Westfield, up 1 percent to A$13.20.

But big banks are relatively flat and resources leader BHP Billiton is 0.2 percent lower at A$9.45.

Singapore's Straits Times opened 0.16 percent lower and Taiwan's Taiex is down about a third of a percent.

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