Japan's Nikkei closed 2011 at its lowest year-end level since 1982, and down 17.34% from 2010's closing figure. Japan's financial woes were worsened by the Fukushima disaster in March as well as eurozone-related panic selling.
Japan’s stock market is struggling to build on recent gains as investors remain jittery over fears that the Japanese economy still faces major challenges in the aftermath of the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
The Nikkei plummeted more than 14 percent Tuesday as Japanese leaders tried to calm jittery markets. Investors fear the knock-on effects of the worsening nuclear crisis, as the world's third largest economy reels after Friday's quake and tsunami.
Japan's earthquake has hit the Asian markets hard. The Nikkei continues to fall and all eyes are on nuclear and energy stocks. Find out more with Nicolas Dromel, Professor at the Paris School of Economics.
On December 29, 1989, Tokyo's stock market reached its historical peak. What followed was the end of an era of unequalled wealth and a slow economic slide. Japanese remember the excesses of the 1980s with a mixture of shame and nostalgia.
The day after the historic victory of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan in general elections, the yen hit a seven-week high against the dollar and the Nikkei stock index jumped to the highest intraday level of the year.
Asian stocks jumped to a two-month high, dragging European shares in their wake, as markets responded positively to US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's plan to rid banks of toxic assets.
Nikkei closed up 5.12%, buoyed by continuing gains on Wall Street, after the Nikkei slipped to 26-year lows last week. The Japanese government announced last month it is to launch another stimulus package.
Tokyo's main index, the Nikkei, fell around 3 % on Friday while the Topix reached a 25-year low. Asian markets were responding to lows on Wall Street after GM announced it may file for bankruptcy.
