Around the World's Markets: Tokyo

THE NIKKEI 225 closed virtually unchanged - off 0.05 per cent at 16,008.84 - after a rally supported by gains in global blue-chip manufacturers ran out of steam. Traders expect the average to gain ground when the new business year starts on 1 April on hopes that Japan's cash-rich pension funds will allocate fresh money to the market.

Shares in Nissan Motor rose modestly on weekend news that the Japanese car maker and Renault had signed an alliance.