TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese market is slightly higher on Friday, snapping a three-session losing streak, despite the broadly negative cues from Wall Street overnight. The Nikkei 225 is moving above the 42,650 level, with gains across all sectors led by automakers and financial stocks as domestic inflation data beat expectations.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index is up 41.24 points or 0.10 percent to 42,651.41, after touching a high of 42,720.57 earlier. Japanese shares ended notably lower on Thursday.
Market heavyweight SoftBank Group is gaining more than 1 percent, while Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing is losing almost 1 percent. Among automakers, Toyota is gaining almost 1 percent and Honda is also adding almost 1 percent.
In the tech space, Advantest is losing almost 1 percent, while Tokyo Electron is edging up 0.5 percent and Screen Holdings is adding 2.5 percent.
In the banking sector, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial is gaining almost 1 percent, while Mizuho Financial and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial are adding more than 1 percent each.
Among the major exporters, Sony is gaining almost 3 percent, while Mitsubishi Electric and Panasonic are adding more than 1 percent each. Canon is losing more than 1 percent.
Among other major gainers, BayCurrent is rising more than 4 percent, while Dai-ichi Life and Shizuoka Financial are gaining almost 4 percent each. Lasertec, Japan Post, NTN, Tokyo Electric Power, Mazda Motor, Tokio Marine and Sumco are adding almost 3 percent each.
Conversely, West Japan Railway is declining more than 3 percent and Shiseido is losing almost 3 percent.
In economic news, Japan's Core consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.1 percent year-on-year in July 2025, easing from 3.3 percent in June but topping expectations of 3 percent. The reading remained well above the Bank of Japan's 2 percent target, fueling bets on a rate hike later this year.
In the currency market, the U.S. dollar is trading in the lower 148 yen-range on Friday.
On Wall Street, stocks fluctuated early in the session on Thursday before mostly lower over the course of the trading day. The major averages all moved to the downside on the day, with the S&P 500 closing lower for the fifth consecutive session.
The major averages finished the day off their worst levels but still in negative territory. The S&P 500 slid 25.61 points or 0.4 percent to 6,370.17, the Nasdaq fell 75.55 points or 0.3 percent to 21,100.31 and the Dow declined 152.81 points or 0.3 percent to 44,785.50.
Meanwhile, the major European markets ended the day mixed once again. While the French CAC 40 Index fell by 0.4 percent, the German DAX Index inched up by 0.1 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index rose by 0.2 percent.
Crude oil prices extended the previous day's gains on Thursday, as data points to robust demand in the US amid prevailing uncertainty about a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. WTI Crude Oil for October delivery was last seen trading up by $0.88 or 1.40 percent at $63.59 per barrel.
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