Japan

The Japanese government has approved a fresh 10.3 trillion yen ($116bn; £72bn) stimulus package to shore up its flagging economy.

A convincing election win by Shinzo Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party(LDP) boosted Japanese equities and caused the yen to weaken.

GLG Partners is to reopen the top-performing Japan CoreAlpha fund range, run by Stephen Harker (pictured), Neil Edwards and Jeffrey Atherton.

Fidelity Worldwide Investment has handed its £1.1bn Japan Advantage fund to Mark Buffett as Ron Slattery steps down from fund management due to family circumstances.

Asian stock markets echoed Wall Street's overnight slump as investors fretted over declining Japanese export figures.

A report by J.P. Morgan Asset Management says Japan is now well positioned to take advantage of significant Asian and Pacific trading potential.

Asian markets fell more than 1% in some regions overnight, with the wider area set for its biggest monthly drop since the financial crisis of 2008.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined wholesale insurer Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company (Europe) £3.3m for serious corporate governance failings.

EUROPE

PERFORMERS