Chinese shares close mixed Thursday

Chinese stocks closed mixed on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.43 percent to 4,090.48 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.94 percent higher at 16,030.70 points.

The combined turnover of stocks covered by these two indices reached 3.31 trillion yuan (about 485.84 billion U.S. dollars), up from 3.09 trillion yuan on the previous trading day.

Non-ferrous metals, semiconductor, and co-packaged optics stocks led the gains, while stocks related to insurance, electric power, and securities were among the biggest losers.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 2.05 percent to close at 4,252.39 points.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, closed 3.29 percent higher at 2,297.92 points on Thursday.

Chinese shares close mixed Thursday

Tokyo stocks ended higher Thursday, with the Nikkei stock index closing above 71,000 for the first time.

The benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended up 1,151.24 points, or 1.65 percent, from Wednesday at 71,053.49, after hitting a record intraday high of 71,398.58.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 54.95 points, or 1.37 percent, higher at 4,068.18, also marking both record intraday and closing highs.

Tokyo stocks rallied after U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending their countries' conflict, analysts said.

The benchmark Nikkei was also lifted by technology issues following rises in U.S. semiconductor-related shares.

Tokyo stocks rise sharply as U.S., Iran sign MoU