Japan

•    NKY+0.69%, TPX +0.55%

•    NKY rebounded, buoyed by short-covering with buying of futures also providing support. But gains were capped amid uncertainties about when the government might hammer out measures to rein in the strong yen and after news that Japan PM Naoto Kan faces a challenge for party leadership. Turnover on the TPX rose to 1.21 trillion yen from 1.04 trillion yen yesterday

•    Stocks rose across most sectors led by tech, telecom, materials, health care and consumer. Oil & gas fell

•    Exporters rebounded on short-covering and as the yen weakened: autos +0.95%, CE +0.67%, precision +0.81

•    Shippers -1.10

•    Best performing sectors on the TPX: machinery +1.04%, airlines +0.99%, nonferrous metals +0.97%; worst performing sectors: securities -1.15%, shippers -1.10%, oil & coal -1.06%.

Hong Kong

•    HSI -0.11%; HSCEI -0.52%

•    Stocks fluctuated in thin trade. Turnover on the HSI fell to HK$17.45B from HK$17.72B yesterday.

China

•    SHCOMP +0.27%; SZCOMP +0.67%

•    Stocks rebounded on bargain-hunting as coal producers advanced on the prospect of mergers while others gained after reporting higher earnings. Turnover on the SHCOMP rose to 105.66B yuan from 103.19B  yuan yesterday

•    Stocks rose across most sectors led by tech, health care, consumer, industrials and materials

•    Coal +1.01

•    Insurers -2.65%