TOKYO: Tokyo’s Nikkei index closed modestly higher on Tuesday, supported following another record day on Wall Street rallies, with traders’ focus shifting to corporate earnings.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index added 0.11 percent, or 38.92 points, to 36,065.86, while the broader Topix index ended down 0.10 percent, or 2.55 points, at 2,526.93.
Japanese shares started with gains “led by high techs” following rallies in New York, Iwai Cosmo Securities said. The Dow and S&P 500 closed at all-time highs Monday. Strengthening of the yen against the dollar weighed on some carmakers, Iwai added. The dollar fetched 147.38 yen in Asia, compared with 147.48 yen in New York and 147.92 yen in Tokyo on Monday.
“A wait-and-see attitude is growing ahead of (the) corporate earnings season that will start later this week,” Daiwa Securities said.
Investors were also eyeing the two-day Federal Reserve meeting that kicks off on Tuesday. Among major shares, market heavyweight and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing added 0.82 percent to 39,420 yen, chip-making equipment maker Advantest rose 1.69 percent to 5,850 yen and Shin-Etsu Chemical climbed 3.03 percent to 5,822 yen. Nintendo advanced 2.22 percent to 8,271 yen, while Sony closed up 0.87 percent at 14,480 yen.
Toyota ended down 0.80 percent at 2,959.5 yen after it said it was suspending shipments of 10 models that use engines linked with testing irregularities at an affiliate company.