The Nikkei Average started the afternoon session at ¥67,225.55, up ¥255.33 from the previous day. Although there was no Nikkei 225 futures quote at lunchtime, the index continued to rise within its range. Major gainers included M3, Nitto Boseki and Kioxia, while mining, banks and nonferrous metals stood out among the advancing sectors.
The Nikkei Average opened the afternoon session up ¥255.33 from the previous day at ¥67,225.55, widening its gains from the morning close at the start of trading. Dollar-yen was around ¥159.40-50 per dollar, while Nikkei 225 futures maintained an upward trend at lunchtime. Gains in South Korea's KOSPI were cited as a factor supporting the Nikkei Average, with the view that buying interest across Asian markets provided underlying support for the market.
Nitto Boseki, M3, Resonac, Kokusai Electric and Kioxia HD were among the top stocks on the TSE Prime Market by trading value, and continued to lead the Nikkei Average higher. Meanwhile, Sanrio, Rakuten Group, Sumitomo Metal Mining and Asics were among the decliners. By sector, mining, banking and nonferrous metals posted the largest gains, while textiles and apparel, pharmaceuticals, and pulp and paper were among the biggest decliners.
With the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) expected to be released tonight, investors are becoming more cautious, and some are holding back from aggressive buying. The Shanghai Composite was slightly higher, while the Hang Seng Index remained weak. Although buying led the market at times overall, some market participants wanted to assess the overnight indicators before taking further action.