Tokyo Nikkei 225 up 0.89%, S&P ASX 200 down 0.24% (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Tokyo , 26 Jun - Asian shares closed mostly higher, extending yesterday's gains and further retreating from a three-day losing streak.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.26%. The regional index rose 0.9% last week to its highest level since April 2022 and was on track for a nearly 4% monthly surge in June.

In Asian stock market dealings technology stocks rallied after yesterday's drop, with chipmakers outperforming as they tracked an overnight rebound in US tech darling Nvidia.

Sydney S&P ASX 200's index bucked the trend and fell led the gains as hotter-than-expected inflation data ramped up concerns over higher interest rates at the Reserve Bank of Australia's policy meeting in August.

The consumer price index in the 12 months to May in Australia rose 4.0%, up from 3.6% in the 12 months to April and 3.5% in the 12 months to March, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

RBA governor Michelle Bullock recently revealed the central bank discussed hiking rates at its last meeting.

Traders also looked ahead to the first US presidential debate tomorrow and the first round of voting in the French election next weekend.

The Nikkei index closed up 1.26% at 39,667 points, in Sydney the S&P ASX 200 closed down 0.71% at 7,783 points, while in Seoul the KOSPI closed up 0.64% at 2,792 points.

The Shanghai Composite index was up 0.72% at 2,971 points and the Hong Kong Hang Seng index was up 0.46% at 18,106points.

In Mumbai the Sensex index was up 0.56% at 78,490 points.

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(RADIOCOR) 26-06-24 09:07:20 (0165) 5 NNNN