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AP
BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stock markets fell Tuesday even as European leaders appeared to have finally clinched a deal for a rescue package to prevent Greece from going belly up.
Japan's Nikkei 225 index was down 0.2 percent at 9,464.19. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.5 percent to 21,323.99 and South Korea's Kospi lost 0.8 percent to 2,009.79. Benchmarks in Taiwan, Singapore, mainland China and the Philippines also fell.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.7 percent to 4,287.10. New Zealand and Indonesia also rose.
Early Tuesday, a EU diplomat The Associated Press that European leaders had agreed to a rescue package for Greece, which has been teetering on the brink of a major debt default. The rescue money had been delayed because lenders wanted the country to do more cost-cutting first.
The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because a formal announcement was pending.
Greece urgently needs the euro130 billion ($170 billion) package before it can move ahead with yet another deal to sharply reduce the amount of money Greece owes its private investors. Without the money, Greece will default on its debts, starting on March 20 when a bond repayment is due.
But the reported deal didn't make a dent on markets. Many observers feel it falls far short of what Greece needs to prevent financial collapse.
On top of that: Europe does not have the will or the ability to spend the amount actually required to keep Athens afloat, analysts said.
"Greece is a hopeless case," said Francis Lun, managing director of Lyncean Holdings in Hong Kong.
In Tokyo, a waning yen failed to perk up many of Japan's big exporters, whose profits increase when the home currency weakens. Panasonic Corp. lost 2.1 percent, Sharp Corp. fell 1.6 percent and Nintendo Co. fell 1.4 percent.
In Australia strong earnings reports helped set a positive tone. OneSteel, the country's second-biggest steel maker, jumped 11.9 percent after releasing a bullish forecast about growth from its mining interests.
U.S. markets were closed Monday for President's Day holiday. Traders will be looking for signs of economic recovery in the world's No. 1 economy on Wednesday, when the National Association of Realtors releases existing home sales for January.
Benchmark oil for March delivery was up $1.65 to $105.25 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The euro jumped to $1.3269 from $1.3159 late Friday in New York. The dollar rose to 79.68 yen from 79.46 yen.