Tokyo’s markets were higher Thursday.
The Nikkei 225 gained 0.89 percent to 17,106.09 and the Topix index was 1.09 percent higher to 1,617.75, while the Mothers market jumped 7.22 percent to 883.84.
Banks and brokers were higher after US bank JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634) reported quarterly profits that were better than had been expected.
Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) added 2.3 percent to ¥1,040, while Sumitomo Mitusi (TYO: 8316) gained 3 percent to ¥848,000 and Mizuho Financial Group (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) was 3.8 percent higher to ¥630,000.
Broker Nomura (TYO: 8604; NYSE: NMR; SGX: N33) was up 1.5 percent to ¥1,984 and credit card issuer Credit Saison (TYO: 8253) added 2.5 percent to ¥3,230.
Exporters did better after the yen weakened in relation to the US dollar.
Camera maker Canon (TYO: 7751; NYSE: CAJ) gained 2.7 percent to ¥6,100.
Retailers saw declines after the International Monetary Fund cut its prediction of Japanese economic growth from 2.6 percent to 2 percent for this year and from 2 percent to 1.7 percent for next year.
Departments store operator J. Front Retailing (TYO: 3086) dropped 2 percent to ¥1,026 while Seven & I (TYO: 3382) fell 2.2 percent to ¥2,870.