Asian markets ended on a mixed note Thursday, with Japan and South Korea higher after a volatile session as investors accumulated beaten-down financials such as Mizuho Financial Group and Kookmin Bank.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index edged up 0.1 percent to 13,067.21.
Japan's banking giant Mizuho Financial Group Inc. gained 2.7 percent. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. jumped 3.5 percent.
Japan's top automaker, Toyota Motor Corp., rose 1.0 percent; rival Honda Motor Co. added 0.8 percent.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.54 percent to 2,875.45. PetroChina Ltd., China's biggest oil producer, fell 1.9 percent, while the country's No. 2 oil company, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., or Sinopec, was dropped 2.7 percent.
Air China Ltd. fell 4.1 percent, while China Southern Airlines, the country's biggest carrier by passenger numbers, dropped 3.79 percent.
Hong Kong's blue-chip Hang Seng Index ended 0.7 percent higher at 21,821.78, after fluctuating in and out of positive terrain through the day.
Elsewhere:
Taiwan's Weighted index added 0.4% to 7,075.65.
In Seoul, the Kospi benchmark jumped 1.2% to 1,537.43 after flirting with red ink a few times.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 1.5% to 4,937.40.
New Zealand's NZX 50 index moved 2% lower at 3,112.56.
Singapore's Straits Times Index gave up 0.9% to 2,892.69.
with files from other wire services
