The flagship Nikkei index gained 0.22% to 27,715.75 points and the broader Topix index gained 0.13% to 1,945.75 points.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended up slightly on Wednesday, driven by technology stocks, but investors remained cautious ahead of the US central bank’s (Fed) monetary policy decision expected later in the day.
The flagship Nikkei index gained 0.22% to 27,715.75 points and the broader Topix index gained 0.13% to 1,945.75 points.
After a start in the red, the Nikkei returned to positive territory thanks to the rise in US futures contracts on technology stocks, particularly related to electronic components, commented Atsuko Ishitoya of Daiwa Securities.
Investors, however, showed themselves to be wait-and-see before the decision of the Federal Reserve (Fed), which should proceed on Wednesday to a fourth consecutive increase in its key rates to slow the rise in consumer prices in the United States, by raising them 0.75 percentage point as in June, or even one point to mark the spirits.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index declined for its part by 1.3% after 07:00 GMT.
Today’s Value
CANON: the title of the Japanese group of office automation and medical equipment Canon fell 1.03% to 3,167 yen, although the manufacturer published quarterly operating profit on Tuesday above expectations and raised its forecasts for annual results and dividend.
Canon is mainly benefiting from the fall in the rate of the yen which artificially inflates its results abroad, and the increase in its annual outlook is also mitigated by the drop in its production due to the confinements in China, commented analyst Yu Okazaki. in a note from Nomura.
On the side of oil and currencies
Oil progressed: around 07:00 GMT, a barrel of American WTI gained 0.52% to 95.47 dollars and a barrel of Brent from the North Sea rose by 0.24% to 104.65 dollars.
The yen was stable against the dollar, which was trading for 136.92 yen around 0700 GMT against 136.91 yen at 2100 GMT on Tuesday.
The Japanese currency weakened against the euro, which was worth 138.82 yen against 138.51 yen the day before.
After having plunged the day before because of fears over gas in Europe, the euro rose to 1.0139 dollars against 1.0117 dollars on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. GMT.