TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese market is trading significantly higher on Friday, extending the gains in the previous two sessions, following the broadly positive cues from Wall Street overnight. The Nikkei 225 is moving above the 64,700 level, with gains in index heavyweights and technology stocks partially offset by weakness in automakers, exporters and financial stocks.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index is up 565.30 points or 0.88 percent to 64,701.55, after touching a high of 64,851.88 earlier. Japanese shares ended modestly higher on Thursday.
Market heavyweight SoftBank Group is gaining almost 2 percent, while Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing is losing almost 1 percent. Among automakers, Toyota is down almost 1 percent and Honda is also losing almost 1 percent.
In the tech space, Advantest is surging more than 5 percent, Screen Holdings is adding almost 3 percent and Tokyo Electron is gaining more than 3 percent.
In the banking sector, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial is down more than 1 percent, while Mizuho Financial and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial are losing almost 2 percent each.
Among the major exporters, Mitsubishi Electric and Panasonic are edging down 0.3 percent each, while Canon is losing more than 1 percent and Sony is declining almost 2 percent.
Among other major gainers, Lasertec is jumping almost 7 percent, Ibiden is advancing more than 4 percent and Mercari is gaining almost 4 percent, while Sumco, Kioxia Holdings, Mitsubishi Materials and Mitsui Kinzoku are adding more than 3 percent each. Sumitomo Metal Mining and Tokai Carbon are up almost 3 percent each.
Conversely, Chubu Electric Power, Taiheiyo Cement and Kansai Electric Power are declining almost 3 percent each.
In economic news, Japan's core inflation eased to 1.7 percent in August from 1.8 percent in July, marking its first slowdown in four months. It also stayed below the BOJ's 2 percent target for a seventh straight month. Meanwhile, Japan's annual inflation rate held steady at 1.9 percent in August.
The Bank of Japan will wrap up its monetary policy meeting on Friday and then announce its decision on interest rates. The BoJ is expected to hike its benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points, to 1.25 percent from 1.00 percent.
In the currency market, the U.S. dollar is trading in the lower 156 yen-range on Friday.
On Wall Street, stocks showed a strong move back to the upside during trading on Thursday following the downturn seen late in the previous session. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the way higher, offsetting recent losses and turning positive for the week.
The Nasdaq and S&P 500 reached new highs for the session late in the day before giving back ground going into the close. The Nasdaq surged 439.87 points or 1.7 percent to 26,418.30 and the S&P 500 jumped 85.95 points or 1.1 percent to 7,637.76. The narrower Dow climbed 316.14 points or 0.6 percent to 51,778.04.
The major European markets all also moved to the upside on the day. While the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index is up by 1.2 percent, the German DAX Index is up by 0.8 percent and the French CAC 40 Index is up by 0.6 percent.
Crude oil prices pulled back on Thursday after supply-related concerns eased amid Saudi Arabia's efforts to get its vital oil pipeline back in operation. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery was down $0.60 or 0.59 percent at $101.83 per barrel.
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
