A rising yen kept Japanese exporters under pressure for a second straight session
It was a mixed finish in Asia today. The yen continued to strengthen on the heels of the
Bank of Japan's recent policy shift, leading Tokyo-listed exporters into the red. Elsewhere, Chinese property stocks racked up healthy gains, boosted by expectations for additional stimulus. By the close, Japan's Nikkei fell 0.4%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged up 0.2%, South Korea's Kospi climbed 0.3%, and China's Shanghai Composite advanced 1.8%.
Over in Europe, oil stocks are shrugging off continued weakness in Brent crude futures to trek higher, with names like Total SA and Tullow Oil among the notable gainers. At midday, London's FTSE 100 is 0.9% higher, while France's CAC 40 and the German DAX have added 0.5% each.
