Business news for Mon, 24 Dec 2007 & with words pre-christmas+property. 2 news.

Asian stocks started the week on an upbeat note with Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 tilting higher in a shortened pre-Christmas session as investors bought resource shares after metals prices firmed Friday. In South Korean shares also were higher, led by gains for Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.

Asian shares ended broadly higher in pre-Christmas trading, as property stocks gave Hong Kong's benchmark index a lift, while miners led gains in Australia. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday.