Japan: Nikkei closes 1.2% higher

Japanese share market finished session sharp higher on Wednesday, 17 August 2022, as risk sentiments emboldened by the yen's depreciation to mid 134 level against greenback and better than expected exports and core machinery orders data.

At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average index advanced by 353.86 points, or 1.23%, to 29,222.77. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 25.03 points, or 1.26%, to 2,006.99.

Total 32 of 33 TSE sub-indices closed higher, with Marine Transportation, Transportation Equipment, Insurance, Nonferrous Metals, Glass & Ceramics Products, and Securities & Commodities Futures issues being notable gainers.

SoftBank Group was up 0.9% after a report said the US-based Elliott Management had sold nearly all its remaining SoftBank shares after previously investing up to $2.5 billion.

ECONOMIC NEWS: Ministry of Finance data showed on Wednesday exports grew 19.0% in July from a year earlier, posting 17 straight months of gains led by U.S.-bound shipments of cars and China-bound chip-related shipments. Imports rose 47.2% in July year-on-year to a record 10.2 trillion yen ($76.06 billion), driven by costs of crude oil, coal and liquid natural gas. That's bringing the trade deficit to 1.4368 trillion yen in July.

Separate data showed Japan's new machinery orders, a key gauge of capital spending, rose 0.9% in June from the previous month, reversing the previous month's decline. In April-June, core machinery orders grew 8.1% from the previous quarter.

CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen depreciated against greenback on easing worries over inflation. The dollar fetched 134.48 yen, against 134.21 yen in New York and around 133 yen in Tokyo on Tuesday.

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