Japanese Stocks Rise on Renewed Trade Optimism
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.4% to above 37,600 while the broader Topix Index gained 0.4% to 2,767 on Friday, reversing losses from the previous session as the recent phone call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping lifted market sentiment.
The two leaders agreed to resume trade negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing trade war. In Japan, data showed that household spending unexpectedly declined in April, reflecting the impact of rising prices on consumer demand. The softer spending figures add to the growing list of considerations for the Bank of Japan as it evaluates the timing of future interest rate hikes.
Among the session’s top performers were Advantest (+1.6%), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (+1.4%), Fujikura (+1.2%), Nintendo (+2.5%), and Tokyo Electron (+1.0%). Despite Friday’s gains, both major indexes remain on track to post a weekly decline.
Source: Trading Economics