Tokyo, Nov. 4 (BNA): Shares in Asia Pacific were mixed on Wednesday morning as US presidential election results streamed in.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 1.42 percent to stand at 23,626.38 at 11:30 am (0230 GMT) at the end of the morning session after rising as much as 2.16 percent earlier, according to Deutsche press agency (dpa).

The broader Topix index was up 0.82 percent to 1,621.1.

Japanese financial markets were closed on Tuesday for a public holiday.

South Korea's benchmark Kospi Index climbed 0.78 percent to stand at 2,361.66 after rising 1.88 percent on Tuesday.

China's Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.48 per cent in the morning while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index edged down 0.28 percent after gaining almost 2 percent on the previous day.

Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX200 index declined 0.44 percent and the broader All Ordinaries index were down 0.4 percent.

On Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 2.06 percent, the S&P 500 index closed up 1.78 per cent and the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 1.85 percent.

Democrat Joe Biden maintained a steady lead over incumbent President Donald Trump in the last surveys ahead of the election day.

Some aspects of Biden's policy proposals would typically be seen as a negative for stock markets in the short term, such as his plan to raise some taxes, while he would favour a larger stimulus package to bolster the pandemic-battered economy.

M.I./F.K.N.