Stock Market

Japan's Nikkei average ended flat near a three-week high in thin trade on Wednesday, as chip-linked shares such as Advantest Corp fell on profit-taking but ocean freight firms climbed after a rise in key shipping index. Japan Airlines Corp extended this week's rebound after a newspaper said a government-appointed task force would seek to double a proposed capital boost for the struggling carrier, helping it to erase a drop of around 25 percent in value made last week.