Japanese equities tracked losses across Wall Street and Europe to end lower on Thursday, amid growing fears that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week.
The benchmark index Nikkei 225 closed 272.47 points, or 0.85%, lower at 31,641.27.
Japan's GDP for the January to March quarter grew an annualized 2.7%, more than the initial estimate of a 1.6% gain, the Cabinet Office reported Thursday. The reading also beat market expectations of a 1.9% expansion.
In corporate news, Eisai (TYO:4523) shares soared 8% on Thursday closing after Reuters reported about documents from the US Food and Drug Administration, which analysts think suggest approval for its Alzheimer's disease drug. The drug regulator's staff said data from a late-stage trial of Eisai and Biogen's Leqembi drug exhibited a meaningful benefit to patients, indicating its possibility of gaining traditional approval.
Source : Bloomberg
