Asia trades mixed ahead of G-20

Markets across Asia were jittery as investors sound caution amid currency market tension as they await the outcome of Group of 20 meeting commencing today in South Korea.

US markets ended in the green in a volatile session; corporate earnings bouyed the markets, while firm US dollar weighed. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 0.35%, to 11,146.57, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 0.18%, to 1,180.26 and the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.09%, to 2,459.67.

Japan's Nikkei average surged marginally on bouts of short-covering, investors are closely eyeing the movement of Yen. The Nikkie average index was up 0.4%.

Markets in Hong Kong retreated, property and insurance shares weighed; the Hang Seng index dropped 0.2% and Shanghai Composite dipped 0.3%.

Straits Times was trading flat, Seoul Composite and Taiwan Weighted were trading firm.