HONG KONG (Dow Jones) - Share markets were mixed to lower across Asia Friday , with Tokyo dragging the region down as traders booked profits during a holiday- shortened session ahead of an extended New Year's break.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 closed the half-day trade down 232.77 points, or 1.42%, to 16,111.43. The broader Topix index fell 13.99 points to 1,649.76.

For the year, the Nikkei gained 40.24%, rallying almost uninterrupted for seven consistent months to notch the single best yearly performance since the go-go days of the mid 1980s.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange closed at mid-day Friday and will reopen Jan. 4 .

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index trimmed an earlier loss to finish down 1.12% to 14,876.43. For the year the benchmark index is up 4.5%, below its 13% rise in 2004 and the 35% leap during the Sars crisis of 2003.

"Ahead of the weekend holidays most players want to square their positions," said Kenny Tang, associate director of Tung Tai Securities.

China Mobile (CHL) slumped as much as 2.65% to HK$37.10 ( $4.78 ) on concerns that new technology and rising competition from 3G competitors will undermine its status as the dominant mobile operator in China .

Around the region, the mood was slightly more upbeat, with modest gains across most markets in thin pre-holiday trade.

Singapore's Straits Times index was almost unchanged rising 0.05% to 2,346.60, while India's BSE Sensitive index rose 0.66% to 9,384.55.

Taiwan's Weighted Index failed to hold its early gains, slumping 0.66% to 6, 548.34. The Shanghai Composite fell 0.75% to 1,161.057.

In Tokyo, Softbank Corp. (SFGDYM) and other Internet-related stocks gained while industrial shares fell back as traders paired positions.

Toyota Motor Corp (TM) rose 2%.

In New York Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell 11.44 points or 0.11%, to 10,784.82. The broader stock indexes were also down slightly. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (SPX) lost 3.75 points, or 0.3%, to 1,254.42. The Nasdaq Composite Index (RIXF) dropped 10.78 points, or 0.48% to 2,218.16.

In Tokyo, the U.S. dollar weakened modestly and recently was trading at 117.94 yen , down from Thursday's close in New York of 118 yen .

February crude-oil futures declined as much as 14 cents from Thursday's close of $60.32 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. (END) Dow Jones Newswires 12-30-05 0400ET Copyright (c) 2005 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.