Japanese stocks rose for a fifth day ahead of a likely interest-rate hike by the Bank of Japan with strength among domestic demand-related sectors such as services, retail, food, and construction.
Nikkei advanced 0.3% to 40,069.59 as of 9:20 a.m. Tokyo time
The Topix Index rose 0.2% to 2,758.10
Nintendo Co. contributed the most to the Topix Index gain, increasing 2.2%. Out of 2,119 stocks in the index, 1,367 rose and 545 fell, while 207 were unchanged.
Stocks are being supported by expectations of lower crude oil prices, easing concerns about inflation globally, said Yutaka Miura, a senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities. Profit-taking may increase with the Nikkei above 40,000, especially in high-tech stocks, which have risen sharply recently.
There was selling of semiconductor stocks after the sector fell overseas, and bank shares were also weak. Disco had the biggest drop in three months after fourth-quarter guidance missed estimates.
Given that the market has already factored in a BOJ hike today, the focus will be on any indications of further rate increases at Governor Kazuo Ueda's press conference in the afternoon, Mizuho's Miura said.
Source: Bloomberg
