nikkei 225

Outflows reached record $1trn last year

Markets across the world respond well to 0.25% increase

Can robotics and retailers rejuvenate Japan?

Further yen weakness has helped Japan's Nikkei 225 index pass the 19,000 mark for the first time since 2000.

Brent crude oil has fallen to more than a two-year low following a thinktank's move to cut its forecast for global oil demand, while markets were muted overnight ahead of a pivotal US Federal Reserve meeting.

Sterling sold off further overnight, exacerbating Monday's losses, as nervous investors ditched the pound and UK shares on fears Scotland may vote to break apart next week.

The FTSE 100 got off to a positive start on Monday, with shares shrugging off weak data from both China and Japan to move higher.

Markets across Asia started the week brightly as traders bet the withdrawal of Fed chair candidate Larry Summers' could slow the US' curtailment of quantitative easing.

The volatility in markets continued overnight as stocks around the globe rebounded, led by Japan where the Nikkei jumped nearly 2%.

Markets surged overnight on news Japan revised its annualised growth rate to 4.1% - up from an estimated 3.5%.