The Nikkei 225 Index edged up 0.15% to around 39,570, while the broader Topix Index gained 0.3% to 2,790 on Friday, marking a third consecutive day of gains for Japanese shares as investors responded positively to strong economic data. Retail sales in Japan exceeded expectations in December, and industrial production returned to growth. The country's unemployment rate also dropped to 2.4% in January, down from 2.5% in the previous two months, defying forecasts of no change. Local stocks also drew support from a positive lead on Wall Street, where solid earnings from major US tech companies...
Japanese stocks rose after the close on Friday (1/31), as gains in the Rubber, Transportation and Glass sectors boosted shares. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.34%. The best performers on the Nikkei 225 were NEC Corp. (TYO:6701), which rose 18.38% or 2,410.00 points to trade at 15,525.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (TYO:9531) gained 7.04% or 289.00 points to close at 4,392.00 and JTEKT Corp. (TYO:6473) gained 6.39% or 73.50 points to 1,224.00 at the close. The worst performers on the session were Hino Motors, Ltd. (TYO:7205), which plunged 12.24% or 71.10...
European equity markets are set to open little changed on Friday after hitting record highs in the previous session, supported by strong earnings and a favorable policy environment. On Thursday, the European Central Bank cut its main deposit rate by 25 basis points, as expected, and signaled that further cuts could follow. Recent data showed that the euro zone economy unexpectedly stalled in the last quarter, led by contractions in Germany and France. On the corporate side, Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter sales, which rose 16% to $13.2...