Nikkei edges up as China markets try to steady after plunge from virus scare

By Stanley White
TOKYO, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Japanese stocks edged up on
Tuesday, erasing early losses as Chinese shares steadied a
little after crumbling the previous day, but sentiment remained
fragile as investors fretted over the growing economic and
human costs of a virus outbreak.
At 0132 GMT the Nikkei index was up a touch by 0.02% at
22,977.64, stepping off from a 10-week low hit in the previous
session. Shares in the technology and materials sectors eked out
gains.
Chinese stocks .CSI300 rose 1.73% on Tuesday, but that
came after a plunge of over 8% the previous day when mainland
markets opened for the first time since an extended Lunar New
Year holiday, a period in which financial markets were roiled by
the rapid spread of the virus.
The total number of virus deaths in China reached 425 as of
Monday, from 20,438 cases, and analysts have warned that growth
in China and globally is likely to take a hit from the epidemic.
China's central bank has flooded the economy with cash while
trimming some key lending rates, but analysts suspect more will
have to be done to offset the economic fallout from the virus.
Investors were seen buying into some of the battered stocks
in early trade.
There were 129 advancers on the Nikkei index against 91
decliners.
The largest percentage gainers in the index were electronics
conglomerate Panasonic Corp 6752.T up 8.6%, followed by
industrial equipment maker Ebara Corp 6361.T gaining 8.42%,
and electronic parts maker Taiyo Yuden Co Ltd 6976.T up by
4.84%.
Panasonic got a boost after reporting its first quarterly
profit at its U.S. battery venture with electronic car maker
Tesla Inc TSLA.O on Monday.
The largest percentage losses in the index were seafood
processor Maruha Nichiro Corp 1333.T down 5.17%, followed by
materials company Unitika Ltd 3103.T losing 4.86%, and drugs
maker Shionogi & Co Ltd 4507.T down by 3.41%.
The broader Topix index .TOPX rose 0.23% to 1,676.63.
The volume of shares traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's
main board .TOPX was 0.49 billion, compared with the average
of 1.1 billion in the past 30 days.