Japanese Shares Advance on Easing Trade Tensions
The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 1.04% to close at 36,830 on Friday, while the broader Topix rose 0.31% to 2,688, with both indexes hitting over one-month highs as global trade optimism lifted sentiment. China signaled a willingness to resume trade talks with the U.S., following multiple outreach efforts from Washington. Meanwhile, Japan and the U.S. concluded a second round of bilateral negotiations, with Tokyo aiming to finalize a trade agreement by June. On the monetary policy front, the Bank of Japan held its benchmark rate steady at 0.5% and cut its growth and inflation outlook, dampening expectations for further rate hikes in the near term. Leading the gains were Advantest (+1.1%), Nintendo (+1.8%), Toyota Motor (+1.1%), Sanrio (+2.7%), and Fast Retailing (+2%).
Source: Trading Economi
