FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Rise on Improved Risk Sentiment

On Monday, the Nikkei 225 Index advanced by 0.6%, surpassing 50,500, while the broader Topix Index saw a 0.5% increase to reach 3,315. This uptick helped recover some losses from the previous week, as investor sentiment improved on the back of an optimistic outlook concerning the potential resolution of the prolonged US government shutdown. Reports have suggested that a group of US Senate Democrats is supporting a deal aimed at reopening the government and securing funding for several agencies into the following year. In local news, the Bank of Japan's Summary of Opinions from its October meeting emphasized policymakers' attention to sustained wage growth as a crucial consideration in future decision-making. Concurrently, a draft of the Japanese government's stimulus plan urged the central bank to balance its focus on robust economic growth with maintaining stable prices. Leading the gains were stocks in technology and artificial intelligence sectors, including notable rises in Fujikura (1.7%), SoftBank Group (1.6%), Advantest (3.2%), Disco Corp (1.7%), and Tokyo Electron (3.2%).