Asian markets down, Nikkei rises despite unchanged BoJ

Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rose one more time, ahead of the BoJ monetary policy decision, but closed below the 12,000 key level. Still, with +0.30% gains on the day. The BoJ kept things unchanged, leaving the target rate at 0.1% and keeping its asset purchase program unchanged.

Most of the Asian equity indexes moved lower today: South Korea's Kospi (-0.81%), Hong Kong's Hang Seng (-0.24%) and Mainland China's Shanghai Composite (-1.01%).

Futures for the German DAX 30 and the French CAC 40 are signaling a slightly higher European opening ahead of the ECB, France trade balance data, Italy PPI, Germany factory orders and a Spanish 10-year bond auction.