Asian markets were mixed Wednesday, with Japanese shares ending lower as exporters such as Canon Inc. reversed gains from the previous session, while Hong Kong and Australia were propped up by resource issues on stronger commodity prices.
Japan's Nikkei 225 index climbed 2.2 percent to 12,745.2 while, Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng index jumped 6.4 percent to 22,464.52
In Tokyo, electronics and trading companies were buoyed by the recent recovery in the U.S. dollar, which was trading at 100.20 yen. Last week, it dropped below 96 yen for the first time since August 1995.
Shares of Canon Inc. lost 2.9% and Honda Motor Co. shed 0.7% in Tokyo.
Data released by the Ministry of Finance showed Japanese exports surged 8.7% in February from a year earlier, as shipments to Europe and Asia offset weaker demand from the U.S. Japan's trade surplus expanded a slower-than-expected 0.9% to 969.9 billion yen ($9.7 billion) on higher energy prices, which fueled a rise in energy imports.
The mainland Chinese market recovered from an early drop to close nearly flat, as a rally in airlines offset a continued decline in PetroChina on views the stock is overvalued. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.1 percent to 3,629.62.
Elsewhere:
South Korea's Kospi inched up 0.3% to 1,679.67.
New Zealand's NZX 50 index slipped 0.1% to 3,425.45.
Singapore's Straits Times Index slipped 0.5% to 2,986.54, after straddling the psychologically important 3,000-point level through afternoon trading.
Taiwan's Weighted index gave up 0.3% to 8,768.02.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index rose 3.7 percent to finish at 5,318.4.
with files from other wire services
