Investors jitters hit Asian markets

TOKYO: Markets were mixed in Asia on Thursday as investors applied the brakes to a recent rally that has some worried valuations may have run a little too high. The underwhelming performance followed a tepid lead from Wall Street, where only the Dow managed to eke out a gain despite blowout profits at top banks that gave a healthy start to the much-anticipated earnings season.

Observers also said the Chinese central bank’s continued push to suck up liquidity from the financial system to keep a lid on debt issuance also showed Beijing was happy enough with its recovery that it was pulling back on last year’s stimulus measures.