Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei index jumped nearly one percent on Tuesday as investors welcomed a weak yen and a broader rally in Asian shares.
The Nikkei 225 index rose 0.96 percent, or 195.59 points, to close at 20,555.29 while the broader Topix index was up 0.85 percent, or 12.99 points, at 1,542.72.
Tokyo shares opened lower after a public holiday the previous day with the market weighed by fears over a slowdown in the global economy following disappointing Chinese trade data. Figures released on Monday showed drops in China’s exports and imports, fuelling fears of a global slowdown and sending world stocks slumping.
But shares entered positive territory by noon as the yen gradually declined against the dollar, boosting investor sentiment.
The dollar bought 108.69 yen in afternoon trade against 108.17 yen in New York on Monday afternoon. Investors were also encouraged by gains in Chinese and other Asian shares, brokers said.
“Investors continued buying back shares which fell sharply recently,” said Daiwa Securities senior technical analyst Hikaru Sato.
“There still is room for buying as the market is recovering from the recent plunge,” Sato told AFP. In individual stocks trade, Hitachi added 7.08 percent to 3,583 yen after soaring 8.63 percent on Friday as risk-averse investors welcomed a report in the Nikkei business daily that the company had decided to freeze its plan to build a nuclear power plant in Britain.
Olympus, which jumped nearly 10 percent on Friday following the appointment of a new CEO, added 17.47 percent to 4,705 yen. IT investor SoftBank Group gained 0.14 percent to 7,709 yen, and Nissan edged down 0.19 percent to 903.7 yen. AFP
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