FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Track Wall Street Higher

The Nikkei 225 saw a notable increase of 1.6%, climbing above the 35,600 mark, while the Topix Index experienced a 1.3% rise, reaching 2,626, during trading on Friday. This marks a third consecutive session of gains for Japanese equities, primarily driven by a technology-focused upswing in the U.S. markets the previous night. Investors are also keeping a watchful eye on trade relations as President Trump asserted that tariff discussions with China are in progress, despite China's rebuttal of such claims. Adding to the economic complexity, recent statistics indicated that core inflation in Tokyo spiked to a two-year pinnacle of 3.4% in April, posing challenges for the Bank of Japan's strategy amid escalating U.S. tariff pressures. The technology sector spearheaded the market's advance, with significant gains from companies such as Disco at 2.4%, Tokyo Electron at 3.8%, and Advantest at 3.7%. Major market players like Nintendo, Nidec, and Fujitsu also registered strong performances, advancing by 2.2%, 12%, and 5.6%, respectively. Both the Nikkei and Topix are poised to conclude the week on a positive note, appreciating by 2.5% and 2.7%, respectively.