The figures from the Tokyo Stock Exchange show that individuals accounted for 36% of the total value of trades in Japan's major stock markets, down from 39% the week before.
In addition, stock prices of the big Chinese banks are relatively cheap: Bank of China trades at 1.4 times forward book value, and Agricultural Bank of China trades at 1.6 book value for fiscal year 2011, even though Bank of China is considered a better-run bank.