mitsubishi

China's National Bureau of Statistics reported that the country's consumer price index rose 4.9% in January. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1% and in China the Shanghai Composite Index remained virtually unchanged. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index inched up 0.2%.

In Asia Friday the Nikkei 225 Index sank 1.1% to 10,360 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slid 0.7% to 23,617. In China the Shanghai Composite Index inched up 0.1% to close at 2,753.

In Asia Thursday the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 1.5% to 2,749 and the Hang Seng Index fell 0.3% to 23,780. In Japan the Nikkei 225 Index advanced 0.7% to end the day at 10,479.

Bargain hunters poured money into Chinese shares Friday, sending the Shanghai Composite Index surging 1.4%. In Hong Kong, however, the Hang Seng Index lost 0.5%, and in Japan, the Nikkei 225 tumbled 1.6%.

Nissan and Mitsubishi plan to work together to bring some new vehicles to market. The Japanese automakers will establish a joint venture to produce a minicar for the home market by 2012, while Nissan will produce a small van for Mitsubishi, which in turn will make an SUV for Nissan.

Although Japan's stock market has been weak for the last 20 years, there are signs that a shift may be under way that could transform that nation into the gateway to Asia's emerging-market consumers. For patient investors looking for a contrarian play with huge upside potential, it's time to re-examine Japan.

Carmakers are expected to report a mixed picture for October sales: mostly better than a year ago, but down slightly from September. Still, the pace appears strong enough that the upper end of full-year forecasts is reachable.

Asian markets had mixed results Wednesday. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index dipped 0.5% to 21,022 and in China the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.2% to 2,666. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index gained 0.9% to end the day at 9,241. The China Real Estate Association has made a plea to the government to refrain...

November is a notoriously weak month for auto sales. So it's perhaps a bit surprising that several carmakers reported either increased or steady sales last month, despite concerns among analysts and others that last summer's "cash for clunkers" program would merely rob sales from the months to...

The biggest gains in the Asian markets were scored in Japan where the Nikkei moved up 2 percent today to close at 10,513, posting its largest one-day rise in two weeks. There were increases across the board, with bank stocks climbing in reaction to a general feeling that the economy is truly on the...