China's benchmark stock index capped the biggest gain since 2009 in volatile trading as the government battled to restore confidence in a market that lost $3.9 trillion in less than a month. Major shareholders were dealt a six-month ban on selling, and state media were told not to mention the turmoil in the same breath as politics.
The Shanghai Composite Index jumped 5.8 percent to 3,709.33 at the close on Thursday. But 1,439 companies were halted on mainland exchanges, locking sellers out of half of the market.
Japan's biggest securities firms blocked customers from buying and selling Chinese equity funds. Nomura Holdings Inc.'s asset-management unit suspended redemptions from three funds as of Thursday and said it would not take orders for two of them. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.'s fund-management arm said it stopped purchases and redemptions on two funds.