Japanese stocks rebounded on Thursday in thin trade, but shares in suppliers of parts for the iPhone's LCD screens dived after the Nikkei business daily reported on Apple's plans to introduce organic light-emitting diode displays for its iPhones in 2018.
The Nikkei 225 index restored 96.83 points, or 0.5%, to 19,944.41
In Japan, the market showed little reaction to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's announcement on Thursday that corporate taxes may be cut by more than planned next fiscal year.
Apple suppliers Japan Display and Minebea slumped more than 7% each on reports that Apple plans to introduce organic light-emitting diode displays for iPhones.
Automakers Honda Motor, Nissan and Toyota Motor rallied more than 1% each.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng docked 9.06 points to 22,488.94.
Most sectors in Hong Kong, including telecommunications, property and information technology fell, but energy stocks ended the session firmer.
Meantime, the ratings agency Macquarie said it expects the Shenzhen-Hong Kong stock connect to be launched by the second quarter of next year.
Blue-chips were mixed, with HSBC 0.6% higher while Hong Kong Exchanges dipped 0.5%.
Australian shares pared gains after rallying as much as 1% but still managed to rebound from Wednesday's losses thanks to a rally among financials.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, AMP and Westpac led gains by more than 1% each following a previous session of profit-taking.
BHP Billiton lost nearly 4% after mud from the miner's recent dam burst in Brazil was deemed toxic by the United Nations on Wednesday.
The Australian dollar fell by 0.4% after domestic business investment slumped by the most on record last quarter, declining by a worse-than-expected 9.2%.
South Korea’s Kospi strengthened, large-cap stocks leading the gains. Samsung Electronics was nearly 3% higher while Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors added 0.7% each
CHINA
Stocks settled on the Chinese mainland, as news Wednesday that Beijing announced fresh policies aimed at boosting foreign trade, such as lowering costs for importers and exporters, failed to boost sentiment.
The CSI 300 in Shanghai erased 22.18 points, or 0.6%, to 3,759.43.
Citic Securities moved downward 1% after the securities association accused the brokerage of overstating its derivatives business by more than $166 billion U.S. Other brokerages also declined, with Everbright lower by 1.6%, and Haitong Securities off 0.7%.
In other markets
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index doffed 6.89 points, or 0.2%, to 2,884.69
The Kospi index in Korea regained 21.26 points, or 1.1%, to 2,030.68
Taiwan’s Taiex index gained back 98.77 points, or 1.2%, to 8,484.90
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 moved upward 18.76 points, or 0.3%, to 6,087.90
The ASX 200 recovered 17.01 points, or 0.3%, to 5,210.70
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