Australia & Hong Kong are closed for the.....>

STOCKS: Australia & Hong Kong are closed for the Easter holiday weekend, as are

US index futures.

- The Nikkei 225 went in to the lunch break 1.00% higher, shaking off the

effects of a modestly stronger JPY. Electronics makers & chemical companies

moved higher, although volume was subdued. The utilities sector lost 0.4% while

the financial sector shed 0.1%.

- China's CSI 300 was unchanged as the PBoC refrained from liquidity injections

for a 6th consecutive session resulting in a net drain of CNY160bln this week,

with the index operating in a tight range.