FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Rise Ahead of BOJ Decision

The Nikkei 225 Index increased by 0.9%, reaching approximately 46,570 points, while the broader Topix Index rose by 0.8% to stand at 3,185 on Friday. These gains propelled Japanese equities to new record highs as investors awaited the Bank of Japan's policy decision, with expectations that interest rates would remain unchanged. Despite this, market anticipations suggest a potential 25 basis point increase in October, amid indications of economic resilience. Investors also considered recent data showing Japan's core inflation increased by 2.7% in August, marking the third consecutive month of easing to the lowest level since November 2024. Japanese stocks mirrored gains on Wall Street, where the Federal Reserve's recent rate cut drove U.S. indexes to unprecedented peaks. Leading the list of top performers were Lasertec, climbing 10.1%, Tokyo Electron with a 1.7% increase, Advantest rising 2.5%, Fujikura up by 2.4%, and Mitsubishi UFJ advancing 1.4%.