Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Tokyo Stock Nikkei 225 closed may 2 2012

Tokyo Stock Nikkei 225 closed may 2 2012 : Tokyo stocks have closed 0.31 per cent higher, while the dollar climbed against the yen following positive US manufacturing and construction data. The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday ended up 29.30 points at 9,380.25.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues added 0.43 per cent, or 3.38 points, to 792.87.

Sentiment rose on better-than-expected US manufacturing activity figures in April and encouraging construction data, which drove US shares higher on Tuesday.

"The dollar-yen being above the psychologically important (Y80) level is a big support for Japanese shares," Masayuki Doshida, Rakuten Securities senior market analyst, told Dow Jones Newswires.

But Securities Japan chief market analyst Masayuki Otani said investors would be cautious ahead of a four-day weekend in Japan, with markets closed on Thursday and Friday for a public holiday.

Traders were looking to US jobs data due to be released over the next few days, as well as the outcome of elections in France and Greece.

"Aggressive bets are not evident," Investrust chief executive Hiroyuki Fukunaga told Dow Jones Newswires.

"A bigger-than-expected increase in employment figures is likely to be a cue for dollar buying," he added.

The dollar was changing hands at Y80.35 in Asian trade, compared with Y80.13 late on Tuesday in New York.

The euro bought $US1.3217 and Y106.22 against $US1.3234 and Y106.05 in New York.

In Asian trade on Tuesday, the greenback fell below Y80 to its lowest level in more than two months.

On Wall Street, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.50 per cent to 13,279.32.

The market got a boost from the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index, which registered a solid jump for April, to 54.8 from 53.4 in March. Analysts had expected a fall.

A reading on US construction spending for March also held out positive signs - showing strength in private-sector building despite the overall data held back by government spending cutbacks.

In Tokyo, exporters were broadly higher on the weaker yen, with Toyota Motor up 0.47 per cent at Y3,205 and Sony 0.39 per cent higher at Y1,270.

Sharp lost 4.27 per cent to Y448 after the electronics giant said on Friday it would remain in the red over the next year after a record $US4.7 billion ($A4.56 billion) net loss up to March 2012.

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