Japanese stocks closed higher on Monday (8/7), with the Nikkei 225 index up 0.26% to 39,688.81, amid optimism that trade talks with the United States could still reach an agreement before new tariffs are imposed on August 1. This increase occurred even though US President Donald Trump has sent tariff warnings to 14 countries, including Japan, which will be subject to import tariffs of 25%.

Trump still leaves room for negotiation, but also threatens to balance tariffs if there is retaliation. The tariff letter received by Japan is the same as other countries, and has raised concerns among small exporters in Tokyo. Amid this tension, the market remains optimistic because Japan is considered to still have the potential to seal a trade deal with the US before the deadline.

In terms of economic data, Japanese exports rose 0.7% in the first 20 days of June, reversing the previous month's decline. Imports fell 0.7%, helping to narrow the trade deficit. Meanwhile, bank loans grew 2.8% annually, reflecting increased financing activity in the financial sector. Deposits and certificates of deposit (CDs) also rose 2% to over 1,060 trillion yen.

In the corporate sector, several companies posted positive performance. Nissan Motor increased its convertible bond issuance due to strong investor demand, while Asante and Alleanza Holdings reported higher sales in certain product lines. This corporate sentiment also supported investor optimism amid external pressure from US tariffs.

Source: newsmaker.id