In Tokyo trading on the 3rd, the Nikkei Average firmed in the afternoon session and traded in the ¥64,500 range, around ¥200 higher than the previous day. Gains in Asian stocks and U.S. stock index futures supported buying, while the dollar-yen rate moved into the ¥157 range on factors favoring a weaker yen.
In Tokyo trading on the 3rd, the Nikkei Average firmed in the afternoon session and traded in the ¥64,500 range, around ¥200 higher than the previous day. The index ended the morning session ¥130 higher, but trimmed its gains amid uncertainty over the situation in the Middle East. A rebound in Asian stocks and gains in U.S. stock index futures provided support for buying.
The Nikkei Average opened higher after rising ¥399.17 to ¥64,724.81 at the open, with major stocks that had fallen sharply in the morning session showing signs of being bought back.
Among individual stocks, SoftBank Group and Tokyo Electron recorded some of the largest positive contributions, while Fast Retailing traded weakly. Advantest and Disco, meanwhile, declined.
In the foreign exchange market, the dollar-yen rate fell from the ¥158 range to the ¥157 range, and the yen appreciated against a backdrop of expectations for a Bank of Japan rate hike. Weakness in U.S. employment-related indicators has also weighed on the market as a source of concern over an economic slowdown.