Asia markets were mixed in a quiet session on Tuesday, with a weaker yen buoying Japanese stocks while Chinese stocks gave up some of their Monday gains. Japan's Nikkei 225, which reopened after a public holiday Monday, closed up 323.74 points, or 1.94 percent, at 17,048.55. Across the Korean Strait, the Kospi finished up 7.05 points, or 0.35 percent, at 1,996.81. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gave up morning gains to trade down 0.11 percent. Chinese markets, which were up Monday after authorities signaled the loosening of controls over margin lending, retreated slightly, with the Shanghai composite down 0.14 percent while the Shenzhen composite was up 0.41 percent. Down Under, the ASX 200 index gave up early gains to close flat at 5,166.60, weighed by the financials and materials sub-indexes, down 0.46 and 0.58 percent, respectively. Mark Matthews, head of research for Asia at Bank Julius Baer, wrote in a morning note that ahead of the Good Friday holiday, markets were very quiet but stable. "There is no real reason for them to sell off, apart from their being high," said Matthews.
