Japan

Japan's leading share index extended its winning streak to six days overnight, it's longest spell of consecutive positive returns since March's earthquake and tsunami.

The board of the £78m J.P. Morgan Japanese Smaller Companies trust has fired a warning shot at manager JF Asset Management to turn around the company's lacklustre performance.

Andrew Nicholas, manager of First State's £60m Global Property Securities fund, has moved overweight Japan, following the earthquake and tsunami in March.

Nervous markets were further soothed yesterday as Greek MPs passed a law to implement strict austerity measures in a second round of voting.

Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has announced plans to close five of its oeics, including two funds run by the group's head of European equities, Steven Maxwell.

Baillie Gifford's Sarah Whitley says companies seem to be under-promising and over-delivering following the earthquake.

Japan's manufacturing sector has beaten expectations following March's earthquake and tsunami, said Bill O'Neill, chief investment officer of Merrill Lynch, who sees further upside in Japanese equities.

Japan's economy will shrink 0.7% this year because of the massive earthquake and tsunami which struck the country in March, said the IMF.

ON JAPAN

ON JAPAN