Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei index slipped as the yen gained ground against the dollar.
And it gives you a good shot at outperforming the benchmark Nikkei 225 Index.
Earlier in the day, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index recovered from 26-year lows, surging 459.02 points, or 6.4 percent, to 7, 621.92.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index fell to 19 year lows in early September.
On Wednesday, the benchmark Nikkei index rose 2.3% to 15, 096, with carmaker Toyota and electronics giant Sony leading the gains.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index was up 459.02 points, or 6.4 percent, to 7, 621.92 after earlier falling to 26-year lows.
The prospect of sales was blamed last month for sending the benchmark Nikkei 225 index to its lowest in 16 years.
ECONOMIST: Yet another emergency package disappoints in Japan
The benchmark Nikkei stock index ended the morning up 3.63% at 10, 573.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 share index closed up 0.4% at 10, 471.93 points.
The negative data hurt shares in Japan's construction equipment makers and sent the benchmark Nikkei 225 index down 1.44%, to close at 13, 017.24.
In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed 1.8% lower at 15, 857.87, ending the session below 16, 000 for the first time in two months.
Since revealing his plan in September to pick up part of Lehman, Watanabe has seen Nomura's shares drop 55% compared with a 31% dip in the benchmark Nikkei 225.
Still, despite the natural disaster and the strong yen, Japan's benchmark Nikkei Stock Average finished the year down only 17.3%, a relative outperformance in an ugly year for Asian markets.
News that a brash internet company, livedoor, was under investigation for market manipulation and accounting irregularities (see article) had sparked two days of widespread selling during which the benchmark Nikkei index and the broader Topix both fell by 5.7%.
The benchmark Nikkei 225, which has been reaching fresh lows almost every week recently, fell by 6.6%, to close below 10, 000 for the first time in over 17 years, while the Topix index, which covers a wider range of stocks, fell by 6.4% to below 1, 000.
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