Asian indexes ended mixed on Monday, with Chinese shares rising sharply despite tightening measures by its central bank, while Japanese shares were tugged lower by exporters such as Canon Inc. and Toyota Motor Corp.
In Tokyo, Nikkei 225 index shed 194.29 points, or 1.07 percent, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange to 17,963.64 while in Hong Kong, the blue chip Hang Seng Index rose 202.0 points, or 0.9 percent, to 22,809.02.
Losers included automakers Toyota Motor Corp., which fell 1.19 percent to 7,470 yen (US$61.74), and Honda Motor Co., which lost 1.98 percent to 4,460 yen (US$36.86). Mazda Motor Corp. also fell, dropping 1.97 percent to 695 yen (US$5.74).
Toyota said earlier Monday more than half of its shuttered assembly lines will start running again Tuesday, after a key parts supplier damaged by a major earthquake in northern Japan resumed operations Monday. Mazda and Honda said they plan to restart production as well.
Factories of Toyota and other major Japanese automakers have been shut because of a lack of parts following damage to piston-ring maker Riken Corp.'s plant in Kashiwazaki, in north-central Japan, in the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck near there last week.
Technology and telecoms shares also dropped, with Elpida Memory Inc. losing 1.85 percent to 5,300 yen (US$43.80). Sony Corp. shed 2.06 percent to 6,180 yen (US$51.07).
ELSEWHERE:
SHANGHAI: China's Shanghai Composite ended up 3.8% to 4,213.36, following on from a 3.7% rise on Friday.
SINGAPORE: New Zealand's NZX 50 index dropped 0.3% to 4,306.54.
TAIPEI: Taiwan's Weighted index rose 0.5% to a 10-year high of 9,634.10.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand's NZX 50 index dropped 0.3% to 4,306.54.
SYDNEY: Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.5% to 6,390.40.
With files from wire services
