FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Track Wall Street Higher

On Friday, the Nikkei 225 Index advanced by 1.2% to surpass 37,300, while the broader Topix Index increased by 0.9% to reach 2,720. Japanese stocks have reached a six-week high, aligning with the rally observed on Wall Street the previous night. This market movement follows the announcement of a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom by President Donald Trump, marking the first such deal since broad tariffs were implemented by the US last month. Domestically, investors were encouraged by data revealing an unexpectedly strong increase in personal spending for March, highlighting a resilient consumer demand. Nonetheless, the optimism regarding the overall economic outlook was dampened by a persistent decline in real wages, which have decreased for the third month in a row. Key performers included IHI Corp with a 3.8% rise, Advantest up by 2.3%, Fast Retailing gaining 2.0%, Kawasaki Heavy Industries increasing by 1.9%, and Toyota Motor advancing by 1.1%. For the week, both the Nikkei and Topix are projected to register gains exceeding 1%.