The Nikkei 225 Index gained 0.5% to surpass 37,900, while the broader Topix Index rose 0.4% to 2,807 in post-holiday trade on Friday. Japanese stocks advanced as they caught up with global market gains, following the US Federal Reserve's signal of two interest rate cuts this year.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell also reassured markets that tariff-driven inflation is likely "transitory." Both the Nikkei and Topix are on track to climb over 2% and 3%, respectively, for the week. In economic data, Japan's core inflation slowed to 3% in February from 3.2% in January but still exceeded forecasts of 2.9%.
This marked the second consecutive month that inflation came in above expectations, underscoring persistent price pressures and strengthening the case for further interest rate hikes.
Among notable gainers, Mitsubishi UFJ jumped 3.8%, Sanrio surged 4.5%, while Fujikura (2.4%), Sony Group (2.7%), and SoftBank Group (2.4%) also posted solid gains.
Source: Trading Economics
Japanese stocks closed slightly lower on Wednesday, with the Nikkei 225 index down 0.1%, or 52.30 points, to 50,602.80. This weakening occurred ahead of the Fed's important decision, while the yen had...
The Nikkei 225 index closed slightly higher by 0.1% at 50,635 on Tuesday, while the Topix index rose a very slight 0.02% to 3,385, after opening lower. The market managed to reverse initial losses tha...
Japanese stocks rallied in recent trading, led by the machinery and electronics sector, which benefited from a weaker yen. Kawasaki Heavy Industries shares rose around 3.4%, while Tokyo Electron Ltd. ...
The Nikkei 225 index rose around 0.27% to 50,582, while the Topix index strengthened 0.65% to 3,384 in Monday trading. These gains helped recoup some of the previous session's losses, driven by positi...
The Japanese stock market opened lower at the start of trading after disappointing economic growth data showed results. Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) fell 0.6% in the July-September quarter com...
European equities edged lower on Wednesday as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy decision, limiting risk taking across regional markets. The STOXX 50 fell 0.3%, while the STOXX 600 was little changed,...
Gold (XAU/USD) holds firm on Wednesday, with price action contained inside the recent consolidation zone as markets brace for the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rate decision. At the time of writing, XAU/USD is hovering near $4,204, down from the...
Compensation costs for civilian workers in the United States increased 0.8% in the third quarter of 2025, slowing from a 0.9% increase in the previous period, slightly below market expectations of 0.9%. Wages and salaries increased 0.8%, down from...
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) will be released on Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Due to the prolonged...
The latest survey data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported an increase in JOLTs Job Openings, a key indicator of the health of the...
Asian stock markets started the week cautiously. The MSCI Asia Index fell slightly by 0.1%, in line with weakening US index futures. Australia also...
European stocks weakened at the opening bell on Monday (December 8th) as global investors focused on this week's US Federal Reserve monetary policy...