Japan

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Chris Bailey, head of direct global investment at Close Brothers Asset Management, urges investors to look again at Japan as a guide to investing closer to home.

Nick Leeson, the trader whose wrong-way bets on Japanese stocks ruined Barings Plc, is joining a mediation firm to advise Irish borrowers looking to renegotiate debts following the real estate collapse, according to reports.

Japan's currency has fallen to its lowest level against the US dollar since May 2009, as the Bank of Japan (BoJ) shifts to a more radical monetary easing policy.

Global equity markets across the board have posted a strong start to the year, but there have been some clear winners in a quarter which saw many markets rise to multi-year or record highs.

With Japan having announced a long-awaited programme of aggressive easing policies this morning, Artemis Global Select manager Simon Edelsten details four myths about investing in the country.

The Bank of Japan's announcement of aggressive growth stimulus measures on Thursday pushed up the flagging Nikkei and caused the yen to fall sharply against the US dollar.

Japanese shares have slumped in this morning's trading as equity markets struggle to consolidate gains seen in the first quarter of 2013.

JAPAN