Down in Japan – up in China

The leading Asian stock exchanges started the week's last trading day by moving in different directions.

In Tokyo, the important Nikkei 225 had fallen by 0.9 percent at lunchtime, while the broader Topix index decreased by 0.8 percent.

Things were more cheerful on the Hong Kong Hang Seng index, which rose by 0.2 percent.

Also, from the composite indexes in Shanghai and Shenzhen, optimistic tones were heard as the two climbed 0.4 and 0.5 percent, respectively.