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Nikkei 225

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727 stories mentioning Nikkei 225Updated 1h ago

Japanese stocks opened little changed as investors stayed cautious ahead of the Bank of Japan's interest rate decision.

International

Ceasefire Prospects Lift Asian Stock Markets

Asian stock markets gained ground Friday, after media reports that US-Iran ceasefire negotiations will take place on Saturday in Pakistan.Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the green, as did most other regional exchanges.Brent oil futures held under $100 a barrel, near $96 during Asian trading hours.In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher and rose to the close, finishing up 1.8% as traders weighed a profit report from a major retailer and mulled Middle East peace prospects.The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1,028.79 to 56,924.11, although losing issues outnumbered gainers 146 to 75.Leading the upside was Fast Retailing, up 12% after reporting H1 earnings and issuing upbeat guidance. Consultancy BayCurrent declined 5.8%.In economic news, Japan's producer price index (PPI) rose 2.6% on year in March, after rising 2.1% on year in February, pushed by higher oil bills, reported the Bank of Japan.In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and held ground, closing up 0.6% after an inflation report from Beijing suggested the nation's bout with industrial-price deflation may be ebbing.The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 141.14 to 25,893.54 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 56 to 31. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 0.8% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 0.4%.Leading the upside was Contemporary Amperex Technology, gaining 9%, while noodle-maker Tingyi declined 3.3%.On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.5% to 3,986.22.In economic news, China's producer price index (PPI) rose 0.5% on year in March, snapping a 41-month stretch of contraction, reported the National Bureau of Statistics.China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 1% in March on year, slipping February's 1.3% reading, added the NBS.On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 1.4%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 1.6%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.3%, and the Thai Set inclined 1.2%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 1.2%The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index rose 0.7% on the day.

Hang SengNikkei 225Shanghai Composite
US Markets

Japan Producer Prices Edge Higher in March

Japan's producer prices edged higher in March, as domestic enterprises faced rising fuel bills.Japan's producer price index (PPI) rose 2.6% on year in March, after rising 2.1% on year in February, reported the Bank of Japan on Friday.The PPI rose 0.8% in March from February, as the petroleum and coal sub-index PPI rose 7.7% on month, reflecting the jump in global fuel prices after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early March.About 20% of global oil production flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran.Japan's PPI measures selling prices received by domestic producers for goods at the factory gate, in business transactions with large buyers. It is distinct from the consumer price index (CPI), which measures prices in retail locations.Other PPI sub-indices were generally muted in March, although the textile products rose 3% from February, reported the Bank of Japan.Japan's PPI had accelerated during the pandemic era, striking a crest of a 10.6% on-year gain in December 2022.More recently, the nation's PPI rose more than 4% on year in early 2025, but since then has been gradually easing, until the March report.The PPI is considered one of the leading indicators of a nation's consumer prices, as retailers try to recoup the costs of acquiring goods to stock shelves.The Bank of Japan has a 2% annual inflation target on Japan's CPI-core, which strips out fresh food prices. That metric logged a 1.6% on-year gain in February, down from a 2% rise in November 2025, reported officials.The next Bank of Japan policy meeting is slated for late April. Central bankers will face oil-price-induced inflation, but also an economy that is growing sluggishly, and may be hamstrung by higher fuel bills.

Nikkei 225
Asia Markets

Japan Shares Rise as Oil Stockpile Release Eases Supply Concerns

Japanese shares closed the week higher after the government said it would release 20 days' worth of oil reserves from May to stabilize domestic supply and offset disruptions linked to Middle East tensions.The Nikkei 225 rose 1.84%, or 1,028.79 points, to close at 56,924.11.The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, but Iran's Strait of Hormuz blockade continues to strain global energy supplies. Japan, which depends on the Middle East for about 95% of its oil, began releasing reserves on March 16 under a 50-day plan with allies.An additional 20 days' supply will come from public stockpiles. As of April 7, Japan held reserves covering 228 days, including 143 days in government stockpiles, and will act independently while coordinating with the International Energy Agency.In economic news, Japan's producer prices rose in March, with the corporate goods price index up 0.8% on month and 2.6% on year, driven by higher fuel and import costs, while export prices rose 0.8% and import prices gained 1.5%.Japan's bank lending rose 4.8% on year in March to about 667.021 trillion yen, accelerating from February, led by major banks, while regional and shinkin banks saw slower growth.On the corporate front, Astroscale (TYO:186A) shares rose 8% after its Japan unit secured a 1.25 billion yen grant from JAXA for a space technology project focused on in-orbit refueling.W Scope (TYO:6619) shares fell 16% after it said it missed Prime Market tradable market cap requirements, citing weak EV demand and risk of delisting if unmet by 2027.Toho (TYO:8129) shares slipped 3% after it extended its review period for a proposed large-scale share purchase by 3D Investment Partners to April 28.

Nikkei 225TYO:186TYO:6619TYO:8129
Japan

Japanese Stocks Up Marginally on Friday's Opening Session Ahead of US-Iran Talks

Japanese shares moved higher at the start of Friday's trading session, although investor sentiment remained guarded due to an unstable ceasefire in the Middle East just before scheduled US-Iran negotiations over the weekend.The Nikkei 225 rose 0.7%, or 370.5 points, to 56,265.77 at the opening bell.Crude oil prices saw a roughly 1% increase, climbing to just under $97 per barrel, following President Donald Trump's warning to Iran about fees imposed on vessels transiting the strategically critical but largely closed Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to engage in direct talks with Lebanon, primarily aimed at disarming Hezbollah, which is aligned with Tehran, according to various reports.In economic data, the U.S. recorded a slower expansion in the last quarter of 2025 than earlier estimated, while the Asian Development Bank warned that even with stable oil prices, the Middle East conflict's ripple effects across manufacturing and tourism would likely slow Asia's economic growth.The ADB projects that advanced economies in Asia and the Pacific will see growth ease from 2.5% last year to 2.2% in 2026, driven by deceleration in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan, with inflation in developing Asia expected to accelerate to 3.6% this year from 3% in 2025, primarily due to higher energy costs.

Nikkei 225
US Markets

Middle East War Dents Japan Consumer Confidence

Undercut by Middle East war and rising fuel prices, Japan's seasonally adjusted Consumer Confidence Index declined to 33.3 in March, down from 39.7 in February, reported the Cabinet Office on Thursday.Consumer confidence index readings above 50 indicate optimism and improved mood, while results below 50 reflect pessimism.In the subcategories, the March index for "overall livelihood" logged 29.7 in March, down from 39.5 in February.For "income growth," the consumer index struck 39.8 in March, off from 42.3 in February, said the Cabinet Office.The "employment" index posted at 37.6 in March, off from 43.3 in the previous month.And the "willingness to buy durable goods" index declined to 26.0 in March, off from 33.7 in February, said the Cabinet Office.With fuel bills in mind, 93.1% of survey respondents in March expected overall prices to rise in the next 12 months, noted the Cabinet Office.The consumer confidence index survey was conducted on March 15, and polled 8,400 households, with a 76.3% response rate, added the Cabinet Office.The declining consumer confidence report followed on the heels of a soft Economy Watchers bulletin, issued on Wednesday.Japan's Economy Watchers Survey index fell to 42.2 in March from 48.9 in February, striking the lowest level since February 2022.The monthly Japan Economy Watchers Survey measures the economic sentiment of workers in consumer-facing industries, such as taxi drivers, hotel staff, and restaurant employees.

Nikkei 225
US Markets

Japan Machine Tool Orders Jump 28% in March

Japanese machinery orders rose 28% year over year to 193.51 billion yen in March, the Japan Machine Tool Builders Association (JMTBA) reported Thursday.The figures reflect a rebound in global industrial capital expenditure, as well as increased industrial demand, according to an analysis by trading platform AInvest on the same day.The figure surpassed a 24% increase in the previous month, AInvest said.External demand jumped 40% year over year to 143 billion yen during the month, while domestic demand edged up 2.5% year over year to 50.5 billion yen, the JMTBA said in its March report.For the first quarter, total orders increased 26% year over year to 485.8 billion yen.External orders surged 35% year on year to 365.5 billion yen, while domestic orders inched up 4.6% to 120.3 billion yen.

Nikkei 225
Asia Markets

Middle East War Uncertainty Caps Asian Stock Markets

Asian stock markets largely fell back Thursday, as traders looked for clarity on the status of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf war.Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo finished in the red, while other regional exchanges were mixed.In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened evenly but declined in trading, finishing off 0.7% as traders booked profits after Wednesday's rally following reports of a Middle East ceasefire.The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 413.10 to 55,895.32, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 169 to 54.Leading the upside was Yokogawa Electric, up 4.1%, while retail conglomerate Aeon declined 8.2%.In economic news, Japan's seasonally adjusted Consumer Confidence Index declined to 33.3 in March, down from 39.7 in February, reported the Cabinet Office.Japan's machine tool orders jumped by 28.1% year-on-year in March, driven by a 40.4% surge in offshore demand, reported the Japan Machine Tool Builders Association.In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and could not recover, closing down 0.5% on ebbing optimism regarding Middle East negotiations.The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 140.62 to 25,752.40 as losing issues outnumbered gainers 53 to 36. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 2.1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 0.3%.Leading the upside was aluminum producer China Hongqiao, gaining 5.2%, while property company Longfor declined 5.6%.On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.7% to 3,966.17.On the other regional exchanges, the South Korean KOSPI fell 1.6%; the Taiwan TWSE rose 0.3%; the Australian ASX 200 gained 0.2%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.4%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.3%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 1.2%.The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index fell 0.9% on the day.

Hang SengNikkei 225Shanghai Composite

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