Asian shares mixed after Dow record close

Asian shares were mixed on Thursday as most markets closed for public holidays, with Tokyo tracking Wall Street higher after the Federal Reserve said the US economy was picking up. Tokyo’s Nikkei was up 0.71 per cent by the break, with healthy manufacturing data from China adding to the upbeat mood. Sydney was down 0.73%, while Wellington was 0.38% lower. Financial markets in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand were closed for May Day. In Japan, investors took their lead from Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed Wednesday at a fresh record high, according to AFP.