TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei share average jumped to hit a more than 11-month high on Monday as investors’ risk appetite was boosted after a strong rally in US equities, which was driven by hopes for trade talks and Federal Reserve’s rate cuts.
The Nikkei rose 1.64% to 40,809.82 by the midday break, hitting its highest level since July 17.
The index rose for a fifth straight session.
The broader Topix rose 0.96% to 2,867.82. A strategist at a domestic brokerage said a rally of US equities last week and hopes of Fed rate cuts, as well as easing tension in the Middle East helped investors to turn “risk-on”.
“The Nikkei’s gains are sharp and there will be some adjustment, but that will be very limited because Japanese stocks are still underperforming their global peers,” said Koichi Kurose, chief strategist, Resona Asset Management.
Wall Street extended its rally on Friday, sending the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to all-time closing highs as trade deal hopes fueled investor risk appetite and economic data helped solidify expectations for rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve.
In Japan, start-up investor SoftBank Group jumped 5% to become the biggest source for the Nikkei’s gains.
Japan’s Nikkei climbs for fourth day on US-China trade framework; Hino plunges
Chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron and chip-testing equipment maker Advantest rose 2.78% and 2.88%, respectively.
“There is an expectation that domestic spending may grow towards the end of the year as utility costs could become lower due to falling oil prices and a stronger yen,” said Kurose.
All but two of the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s 33 industry sub-indexes rose, with the precision machinery sector rising 2.21% to become the top percentage gainer.
Medical equipment maker Olympus jumped 6% after falling in four straight sessions.
The automaker sector inched down 0.6% after US President Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that Japan engages in “unfair” automobile trade with the US
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