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Nikkei closes in on 5-1/2 year peak as yen stumbles
Asian shares were in a buoyant mood, with Japanese stocks charging towards a 5-1/2 year peak on Thursday after the yen fell sharply on the back of relatively positive U.S. economic data. U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly fell last week and the November Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer confidence improved from a preliminary reading, while the Chicago PMI held up better than expected last month after surging in October. A soft October durable goods report was the only dent to an otherwise upbeat set of figures. "The U.S. economic data were very pro-tapering, despite the weakness in the durable goods ... (full story)