IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Markets enthused

World stock markets were mostly higher yesterday on guarded optimism the US Federal Reserve's $1.2 trillion spending plan would bring a quicker end to the worst global slowdown in decades.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 stock average lost 26.21 points, or 0.3 percent, to 7,945.96 as the Fed's action weighed on the dollar and pulled back exporters like Toyota and Honda.