Japan's Nikkei 225 held above the 67,000 level on the 12th as semiconductor-related stocks again supported the benchmark after an uneven start. By 11:00 a.m., the index was up 98.70 yen, or 0.15%, at 67,068.92, after briefly slipping 0.91 yen at 10:00 a.m. Advantest and Tokyo Electron became the biggest positive contributors by mid-morning, overtaking Recruit Holdings, while Fast Retailing was the largest drag on the index. On the TSE Prime Market, 869 issues rose, 630 fell and 51 were unchanged, a narrower lead for gainers than at 10:00 a.m. Sector performance was mixed, with mining, banking, services and electric power and gas higher, while pharmaceuticals, textiles and pulp and paper declined. The modest advance followed the Nikkei's sharp rebound on the 10th, when semiconductor-related stocks drove a 2.03% rise by 11:00 a.m., but the latest session pointed to a more nervous market as investors monitored economic indicators, earnings and overseas conditions.