Japanese stocks eked out small gains on Monday, with strength in securities and insurers offsetting falls in resources-related sectors, including trading houses, steelmakers and shippers.
The Nikkei index was flat at 23,816.33 and the broader Topix added 0.1 per cent to 1,891.92. Nomura Holdings gained 0.7 per cent, Daiwa Securities Group advanced 1.1 per cent and T&D Holdings soared 1.6 per cent.
Shippers were the worst performers, falling 1.6 per cent, followed by a more than 0.8 per cent drop in non-ferrous metal shares and steelmakers.